Suicidal thoughts and self-harm

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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 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

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 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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I think this is it. I think I’m finally done

replies: 4

I’ve written countless posts to these forums over the years and I guess in a way they were all cries for help; but now I truly am finished trying. I’m done searching for a purpose, searching for relationships- reason. Time and time again life proves to me that it’s nothing but swimming against a current. My life is empty. I no longer have friends to smile with. I no longer have family I can trust. I no longer have drive to better myself. No matter how hard I try to find that one reason to keep going; it eludes me. I’m 21, I have my own place, I start my first year of university in a month. On paper I guess things seem to be looking up but in reality I’m a broken, bitter person. I avoid all social interaction with my family these days, recently everyone of them independently has messed me over in a way that’s left me feeling truly alone. My sister and dad won’t even take care of my cats for a matter of hours- instead my inspection is going to come around tomorrow and I guess I’m getting kicked out for having unauthorised pets. Everything about my hatred for myself, my inability to be who I want to be, my past has culminated to this decision, it’s just become too much. Psychology does nothing for me, it all sounds like bull. Nothing works no matter what I try. I will always be this shell of a person who is filled with hatred. Why SHOULD I continue?

I dont know what to do

replies: 1

Hey, about 3 years ago my relationship with my parents, and consequently my siblings started become very coarse due to their varied unbecoming behaviours. 2 years ago I decided enough was enough and stopped taking their abuse, I moved out and cut of all ties, I was still at school at the time and moved in with extended family who also were estranged. It was around this time I started becoming heavily depressed with daily suicidal thoughts and very nearly actions on a few occasions, I was prescribed medication which did nothing. After then attempting to join the army to leave my old life behind I was denied due to the medication, which made my only life goal unobtainable, which as you can imagine, made me struggle more with my mental health, I am now living with my partner of two years, who I’ve recently discovered has been dishonest with me, and lies to me, and has completely broken my trust with her actions. My mental health has declined very rapidly since then but I have nowhere else to go, so I can’t leave. And my mental health has taken to much to deal with everything. So now im Stuck living with a partner i dont love, with no career, no family, and depression.

Not coping today

replies: 14

Tw strong suicidal ideation urges and intent how does one cope with all these things going on at the moment… I have chronic suicidal ideation but today is different. I’ve started having episodes of dissociation and vivid images of what I would do to end my life… it’s that vivid that I seem to feel what I would be feeling whilst I’m doing it… I tried to do some tools I’ve learned so far and nothing seems to work… I’ve tried reaching out to lifeline but couldn’t get thru… im running out of options and it feels like this is the end of me… I can’t handle any of this anymore… it’s hell right now., hence why I kinda thought that the voices are right, why try when I’ll fail anyways. Why try when it was destined for me to end my story my way. Why try when no one wants to help anyways… why try when I’ve been longing for freedom which I’ll get once it’s all over… why try when all your doing is prolonging the pain and suffering I’m feeling… so what to do?.

Safety plan

replies: 1

it is because of my safety plan I was denied worker’s compensation. So much for a safety plan. I was severely bullied at work resulting in loss of career, respect and will to live. To get me through survival my safer plan was to get as far away from my house as far as possible. In the eyes of so called doctors who sign a pledge when becoming health care providers to do no harm, because they were acting on behalf of insurer my getting out of the house means there was nothing wrong with me. This was never about money, it was about being heard and believed. Don’t care what happens now. My life was a struggle now thanks to them it is impossible

I'm so tired

replies: 2

I don't know anymore. I was doing so well than suddenly I slipped so much happened that I cant even pick a good reason anymore. I relapsed recently and fell back into the cycle. I've had such dark thoughts recently and it doesn't feel like it'll go a... View more

I’m so tired I can’t do this anymore

replies: 5

I am currently studying vce full time and doing two year 12 subjects as a year 11, I work 6 hour days every Saturday, and complete one hour of tutoring weekly. No matter how hard I try to keep on top of things I just constantly feel like I am failing, I’m so tired. When I get home from school I have so much work to do and end up doing homework until 10 or 12 at night, I know I can’t sustain this but I just don’t know how else im going to be able to get everything done. Im burnt out and it’s only the second week of term. I know I do put a lot of pressure on myself because I am a perfectionist but I really don’t know how to fix this and complete the best work I can. Plus I haven’t really made time to hang out with my friends in a while, I feel like they are drifting away from me but I don’t know what to do. I’m just so so tired i don’t know what to do

Looking for help

replies: 1

First time poster. I am really struggling today. I suffer from a neuromuscular disorder which has me in constant pain and always moving along with severe anxiety issues. Added to that the inability to work is just soul crushing. I am a failure to everyone I love. I have tried my mental health plans. I went to my GP for help. His answer was there is a difference between having a disability and just being sick. I am a drain on everyone and everything around me. In my mind I just want to stop being. No more personal pain. No more fear. No more disappointment. I know it can been seen as the cowards way out but I am just lost.

Im slipping again

replies: 1

Things in my life have been relatively good recently and I’m very lucky. My family cares for me a lot we have enough money for medical support for me, I have an amazing psychologist, a have a couple of friends and I don’t have to hide being trans anymore. i mean school still sucks and I can’t break free from having to achieve so much academically and I’m still not great mentally but I have so much that so many people don’t have so why do I feel like this? I hate myself, I hate myself so much I hate how I look I hate who I am and I just want to be happy, why can’t I be happy? I don’t understand what could possibly keep me from happiness when I have so much. Every time I look at myself I feel disgusted and ashamed and guilty, I’ve destroyed my body. And every time I see myself I just want to destroy it further. For a while I was in a cycle of SH every day (not badly though) I couldn’t stop and I was sort of scared to stop and then I broke the cycle and I felt okay for a good few months. And now I’ts not daily but I’m back to feeling like a need it to keep me afloat. I don’t know what to do i can’t make a single decision for myself and im so angry with myself all the time. I can’t stop thinking about starting testosterone I want to be happy so badly, I want to feel good about myself but my stupid brain keeps jumping to the worst of everything. Im afraid im not ready, im afraid people will see me differently, im afraid in the end I won’t even feel any better about myself but most of all im afraid I’ll never be able to make the decision and spend my entire life living like this. I am so tired of living like this. I just want to like who I am, I don’t need to love my body I just want to be free from this brain. I want to hurt, I want to hurt so badly. Im not suicidal anymore I want to be alive but I can’t stop thinking about death I can’t stop thinking about being free from all of this stress. I feel so hopeless I don’t know what to do with myself, I don’t want to keep living like this but I don’t know how

Having a relapse

replies: 2

Hi Everyone,I’ve been doing a lot of trauma recovery work in recent months and until yesterday it was going much better but unfortunately had a trigger and the last 24 hours have been a disaster. Have used alcohol and medication to cope and feel like I am back where I started. So frustrating.Has anyone else had a similar experience and what did you do to get back on track? I feel I’ve completely lost control in just 1 day. Thanks.

Intrusive suicidal ideation… How do you stop the thoughts?

replies: 2

Hi. I’m a 37yo medically retired nurse with cPTSD and a chronic neuropathic pain condition. I have an amazing team of clinicians but I seem to be getting worse. Currently completely lost and waiting on a bed at a psych clinic, in part to start a new type of antidepressant and mood stabilizer. I truly believe my husband and family would be better off without me, I’m a burden that they do not need. Only thing stopping me is that my parents have already lost one child already and I don’t know if I can do it to them. My brain takes snapshots of anything I see related to ending my life. Instead of just one plan, I now have six well thought out plans and they run through my head like a movie and I’m the viewer watching myself die again and again. My family has no idea about my SI, my husband knows very little and doesn’t really ask questions- I think he’s possibly afraid of the answers. I only leave my house for appointments and I only leave my bed when necessary. I don’t have a life so what’s the point in continuing?

Do you have a safety plan? replies: 97

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

I think this is it. I think I’m finally done replies: 4

I dont know what to do replies: 1

Not coping today replies: 14

Safety plan replies: 1

I'm so tired replies: 2

I’m so tired I can’t do this anymore replies: 5

Looking for help replies: 1

Im slipping again replies: 1

Having a relapse replies: 2

Intrusive suicidal ideation… How do you stop the thoughts? replies: 2