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Suicidal thoughts and self-harm

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Sophie_M Do you have a safety plan?
  • replies: 97

Safety planning involves creating a structured plan – ideally with support from your health professional or someone you trust – that you work through when you’re experiencing suicidal thoughts, feelings, distress or crisis. Your safety plan starts wi... View more

Safety planning involves creating a structured plan – ideally with support from your health professional or someone you trust – that you work through when you’re experiencing suicidal thoughts, feelings, distress or crisis. Your safety plan starts with things you can do by yourself, such as thinking about your reasons to live and distracting yourself with enjoyable activities. It then moves on to coping strategies and people you can contact for support – your friends, family and health professionals. The safety planning model was developed in the US by suicide prevention experts Barbara Stanley and Gregory Brown. It has been used extensively by US veterans’ health organisations, hospital emergency departments and high schools, and there is strong evidence that it works. Many health professionals in Australia also use some form of safety planning to support clients experiencing suicidal thoughts or feelings, or after a suicide attempt. beyondblue has an app you can use to create a safety plan, called BeyondNow. The BeyondNow app takes the principles of safety planning and makes it even easier to use – so rather than carrying around a piece of paper, you’ve got it on your phone at all times. It’s free to download from the Apple Store or Google Play. If you don’t have a smartphone or would prefer to use your desktop or laptop, BeyondNow is also available to use on our website. Do you have a safety plan? Do you have questions around how you might create one, or fill out some of the sections? This thread is for discussing ideas around creating a safety plan, and sharing tips about what has been most useful about this process for you. Below are two videos featuring Peter and Nic, who have both used safety plans successfully. Peter Nic

Sophie_M PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: posting in this section
  • replies: 0

Life gets pretty hard sometimes and many people in this online community have had times where they have thought about hurting themselves or ending their life. This can be a stressful and at times overwhelming experience, and this section is here to h... View more

Life gets pretty hard sometimes and many people in this online community have had times where they have thought about hurting themselves or ending their life. This can be a stressful and at times overwhelming experience, and this section is here to help members who have had these experiences. This is a place to share where you are at, seek ideas for help and know that you are not alone. We are here to create a safe environment for everyone. Please do not provide any details about any plans/ideas that you may have had to hurt yourself, and importantly, help us to understand if you are safe by letting us know in the post. Making comments that let us know that you are having thoughts, but are safe, helps us to know that your conversation can continue without interruption, and that we do not need to put any further follow up for you in place. This section will not be for everyone.It shows posts from people who are distressed, offers public replies to these posts, and encourages people to come back and share how they got past that difficult point in time - what worked, what didn’t and how they now approach these difficult thoughts. It is important to think about what you want from the forums, what information you need and what threads will be helpful to your situation, rather than reading everything that is posted. For some people this section might be difficult to read – if it is not helping how you feel, then please consider moving to another section. This section, like the rest of our forums, is closely monitored and all posts are reviewed by moderators before publication. Moderators will also ensure that anyone needing follow up will be provided with information about how to access further support. ​This section remains a discussion forum focused on helping each other through the dark times, it is not a crisis support service. Any posts that do not abide by the community rules will not be published. Unlike other areas of the forum, threads in this section will be closed after a period of one month of inactivity. If you are in crisis or need immediate help, assistance is not available via these forums. Please call Suicide Call Back 1300 659 467, Lifeline 13 11 14 or contact emergency services on 000.

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EleanorMae1994 I don't know anymore
  • replies: 1

I don't know what to do anymore. I want to disappear but I don't want to kill myself but I definitely want to disappear. I am so anxious and stressed and depressed I feel so trapped in my own head.

I don't know what to do anymore. I want to disappear but I don't want to kill myself but I definitely want to disappear. I am so anxious and stressed and depressed I feel so trapped in my own head.

rubyrue Vent/how I’m feeling
  • replies: 3

I was in a car crash in December and I cry most nights wishing I passed that night. I am sad. I feel empty. I don’t have motivation. I’ve tried & tried. I feel as if I don’t have anyone to turn to, I’ve tried to tell my mum about my anxiety or depres... View more

I was in a car crash in December and I cry most nights wishing I passed that night. I am sad. I feel empty. I don’t have motivation. I’ve tried & tried. I feel as if I don’t have anyone to turn to, I’ve tried to tell my mum about my anxiety or depression she just laughs. My partner admitted to me “I just don’t get it” which is amazing that he doesn’t understand how I’m feeling or why my mental illness make me feel like that but I need someone who can. . This is my first time using this forum thingo.

anon_1475 i feel emotionally miserable
  • replies: 3

i’m constantly filled by the fear that everyone who’s meant to love me hates me. i feel really uncared for, especially by a particular loved one, and can’t stop thinking about how life just doesn’t seem to be getting much better. i want to just give ... View more

i’m constantly filled by the fear that everyone who’s meant to love me hates me. i feel really uncared for, especially by a particular loved one, and can’t stop thinking about how life just doesn’t seem to be getting much better. i want to just give up.

successisajourney What to do if your parents display family violence
  • replies: 2

Hi,I am studying Year 11 in VIC. I am an Australian citizen and have moved to a lot of countries since I was born. I have had a pretty rough and rocky childhood, which includes sexual abuse and family violence. Being a girl from an Indian Background ... View more

Hi,I am studying Year 11 in VIC. I am an Australian citizen and have moved to a lot of countries since I was born. I have had a pretty rough and rocky childhood, which includes sexual abuse and family violence. Being a girl from an Indian Background who completely had to believe and obey my parents' orders every second of my life I moved to AUS in 2021. I have a previous history of self-harm, suicidal thoughts, attempting suicide, mental health diagnosis (BPD - Boderline Personality Disorder), physical health problem such as right ankle tibia fracture due to sucide attempt, skin graft because of potential risks of developing cancer on the surged area (right leg - metal plates and screws placed on 01 Sep 2021), a major accident - 2 days extreme verge of homelessness due to my mother's ruthless actions towards me (i fell down the same day at school - fainted and experienced seizures in which I had hitv my head, leg and arm multiple times which might have resulted the metal plates in my right ankle to twist making it difficult for me to walk now, my head is in a bad state - by which I mean that it is constantly stinging and aching, my left wrist is undergoing horrible pain at the moment as well. The most important thing I wanted to convey is that my concern for my safety. I do not feel safe at home as I am scared that I might involve myself in sucide attempts due to too much accumulation of stress. I do not access to mobile which makes it harder for me to get support... Please advice me what to do now as I have a stable Internent Connecttion and a smart device. I convey my deepest gratitude to everyone reading this and have replied to my post. NOTE: CHANGE IS INEVITABLE AND I AM DEEPLY SORRY TO WHOEVER THAT MAY BE MENTALLY DISTURBED BY THIS POST...

Guest_9071 It won't go away
  • replies: 2

I can only compare the urge to that being like a deep itch. It's only until you scratch it, it perhaps goes away....but then again this is more like a nerve itch that WONT go away. I've got the grim reaper on my back and a burst cloud over my head. F... View more

I can only compare the urge to that being like a deep itch. It's only until you scratch it, it perhaps goes away....but then again this is more like a nerve itch that WONT go away. I've got the grim reaper on my back and a burst cloud over my head. Feeling the worst and so hopeless. I cannot tell you the pain I feel.

apeMAN Needing encouragement
  • replies: 5

June 19, 2020 I attempted suicide. I didn't/don't want to be in pain anymore. That date is coming up soon and it's triggering me. I've tried so damn much since then to rebuild my health, mind and willpower. But my mind is fragmented into a thousand p... View more

June 19, 2020 I attempted suicide. I didn't/don't want to be in pain anymore. That date is coming up soon and it's triggering me. I've tried so damn much since then to rebuild my health, mind and willpower. But my mind is fragmented into a thousand pieces. A lifetime of chronic headaches/migraines. They can be over 15+ days in a month. They can last anywhere from 2 to 16 hours. I was born missing supportive bones on one side of my neck. There's no cure, only manageability. I've had chronic fatigue and depression for 20 years. Tried all the things. My son is 3.5yrs old. He's my heart. I love him so damn much and love being his dad. It's the only reason I keep fighting through this continuous pain cycle. It's torturous. I don't want to be in pain anymore. But I don't want to leave my boy fatherless. So each day I'm crushed between those opposing forces. It took 15 years of mental degradation to attempt my life. It's been nearly 3 years since then. I've been diligent in trying to repair my mind and willpower. 100+hrs of clinical psychology, mindfulness, meditation, exercise, diet, drugs, no drugs, western medicine, eastern medicine and so on. I don't think there's a option I haven't tried. I'm tired. The journey to some semblance of sustainable health is always out of reach. Everytime I make progress it gets taken from me. I can't leave my son without his dad. But I also don't want to be in pain. I feel trapped physically and emotionally. Looping the same loops. My family knows my story. They are immensely supportive. I'm not in danger but I am in mental turmoil. Each setback shatters me and I have to rebuild again and again. The future seems overwhelming and impossible.

Caiteyb He broke up with me
  • replies: 1

He broke up with me and idk how to cope, he was the one thing that helped me not have constant dark thoughts and now he's gone. It's so weird not having him around, and I don't understand how one day he's my best friend and the next he's just gone. View more

He broke up with me and idk how to cope, he was the one thing that helped me not have constant dark thoughts and now he's gone. It's so weird not having him around, and I don't understand how one day he's my best friend and the next he's just gone.

Pennieee Just hopeless and tired…
  • replies: 13

I am going through another bad time of my life and I just can’t seem to get over it. I’ve had these feelings before and they have gone away and now they’re back. I just feel hopeless and empty. I have thoughts of not wanting to wake up so I don’t hav... View more

I am going through another bad time of my life and I just can’t seem to get over it. I’ve had these feelings before and they have gone away and now they’re back. I just feel hopeless and empty. I have thoughts of not wanting to wake up so I don’t have to feel this way anymore but I never thought of how…nor have any plans to. They’re just thoughts of what if…I still turn up to work, still smile and say ‘I’m good’. I just wish someone or something can pull me out of this mesh I have in my mind. I just don’t know what else to do…I don’t think I want to harm myself. But the thoughts of not wanting to live anymore just won’t go away…

Jay234 Unsure
  • replies: 3

Kind of scared to post this but i guess it cant hurt. I had cancer around ten years ago and haven't been the same since, it has changed me mentally and physically to the point of being afraid of most things and i hardly see my friends anymore, i long... View more

Kind of scared to post this but i guess it cant hurt. I had cancer around ten years ago and haven't been the same since, it has changed me mentally and physically to the point of being afraid of most things and i hardly see my friends anymore, i long for companionship but have nothing to offer a potential partner so i dont bother, i want a job really badly but i have no qualifications and im terrified of the application process, i put on a tough act but i feel myself getting weaker every day, i self harm and thoughts of suicide have become much more frequent and im looking for some kind of support group or the alternative: an easy way out