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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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Tanc Worthless
  • replies: 3

So I don’t really understand why I can have a good day and be grateful for what I have yet constantly think about not wanting to be here anymore. So I read a quote last night that said “The hardest thing I’ve ever done is live when I don’t really wan... View more

So I don’t really understand why I can have a good day and be grateful for what I have yet constantly think about not wanting to be here anymore. So I read a quote last night that said “The hardest thing I’ve ever done is live when I don’t really want to”. A lot of the time I just wonder what the point is- I work my butt off, look after other people, ensure my kids have everything they need (attention, support, a place to just be who they want to be and feel free to talk to me about anything, all the love they need) but I feel like I don’t have anything to offer this world and this world has nothing to offer me!I feel guilty about wanting to end things when I have the most gorgeous, helpful, respectful, loving children that I’m responsible for. I don’t know how I produced three gorgeous, well rounded children when I feel like a worthless piece of nothing myself.I don’t know how to change the way I think.

RobMidian Have tried to help family and done wrong by them and alone now
  • replies: 2

G'Day guys, Don't know how to start this and my first step in an maybe last attempt to reach out. 5 years ago I lost my wife at a young age, passed away and had a very close relationship with one of my cousin's in another state. My cousin assisted me... View more

G'Day guys, Don't know how to start this and my first step in an maybe last attempt to reach out. 5 years ago I lost my wife at a young age, passed away and had a very close relationship with one of my cousin's in another state. My cousin assisted me to move away and move in with her and her husband, in return I assisted in financial wealth gain which is something I'm good at and I tried to get help with counselling, currently in antidepressants and was at one point addicted to pain killers which I finally got off but still on the antidepressants. Long story short, I had ended up losing my cousin's savings and a huge amount of my own backing that got me this far (most of it was my wife's insurance payout) and now in a terrible place. I for so long lied to my cousin / family about the lost, attempting to rebuild back but failed completely multiple times and lost all my own assets and cash now. Her husband found out and they tried to talk to me, me being a person who runs away and can't confront things very well, I ended up staying with a the only close friend I have at the moment in a garage, a mattress on the ground thinking I can't move forward from this. Left it for too long, my cousin and husband are now pretty sour (understandable) and want my stuff moved out from their place and I'm now on the verge of taking my own life. Lost all I had worked for and owned. If it wasnt for my friend here I would be on the street but I can't keep this up, as he would need his own space too. So I'm thinking of just calling it quits when I tried so much to help family out but ended up so badly. I've got nothing else to live for anyways. In case your thinking, my parents are not around anymore and only child I am. I guess thats why I am reaching out now. I appreciate any help.

GreenEgg Sad
  • replies: 3

Something happened this week and I feel so sad and lonely. I just want it to end. I want to tell someone but everyone seems so happy. Or I don’t know how.

Something happened this week and I feel so sad and lonely. I just want it to end. I want to tell someone but everyone seems so happy. Or I don’t know how.

PocketRocket88 The ball is now in their court
  • replies: 15

Yep the voices has managed to convince me to ask my friend to stay with someone else for a couple of days. It’s just me and my friends dog for now. This is what the voices wanted and now they’ve got it. And again the voices was right no one cares no ... View more

Yep the voices has managed to convince me to ask my friend to stay with someone else for a couple of days. It’s just me and my friends dog for now. This is what the voices wanted and now they’ve got it. And again the voices was right no one cares no one wants to help me… no one understands or even try to understand what im going thru… I’m in this alone… I guess is a human instinct to be selfish… right now I’m forcing myself to go to work and hope that they’ll settle down and by the time I finish the wave will be over… im probably on my last few % of actually fighting for my dear life so if this doesn’t work the I don’t know what anymore. I just need one thing to work today which is get thru this breathing… then probably just probably that will give me a bit of something to hold onto with the hope of it building right back up again until I feel more stable and so that my friend can come back home with me… hope that going to work to keep safe was a good idea and not a mistake… the voices are very intrusive and demands my full attention which I’m trying not to hence how this post has come about…

alexis123 how do i stop this feeling
  • replies: 2

My friends don’t try with me anymore because i’m too depressed for them even though i always act fun and happy around them, i feel so alone, each night I hope i die and I’ve attempted many times i can’t keep feeling this way it’s been 15 years of me ... View more

My friends don’t try with me anymore because i’m too depressed for them even though i always act fun and happy around them, i feel so alone, each night I hope i die and I’ve attempted many times i can’t keep feeling this way it’s been 15 years of me struggling and barely surviving each day, i’ve done therapy, dbt, hypnosis, changed my lifestyle and fitness, changed everything to make myself happy, yet i’ve never felt more alone and sad, i’m out of options

FQ All alone getting crazy thoughts
  • replies: 2

Separated about a year ago. Have been secluded since. Only receive calls from work or those bloddy call centres.finding loneliness very difficult to cope with. Have nobody to turn to. Asked for calls I made for help fell on on death ears.waste all my... View more

Separated about a year ago. Have been secluded since. Only receive calls from work or those bloddy call centres.finding loneliness very difficult to cope with. Have nobody to turn to. Asked for calls I made for help fell on on death ears.waste all my money on online games. Not gambling. Recently been weighing up is it even worth sticking around. Have thought up several alternatives to end this miserable existence.

emilyrken Mental health in the workplace
  • replies: 4

I need advice on how to deal with my mental health and suicidal thoughts in the workplace. I work at a major brand supermarket and my boss bullied and manipulates me into working all the time and disregards my mental health because it’s “busy.” I alr... View more

I need advice on how to deal with my mental health and suicidal thoughts in the workplace. I work at a major brand supermarket and my boss bullied and manipulates me into working all the time and disregards my mental health because it’s “busy.” I already had depression before starting there but it has gotten so much worse and I have constant stress, depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. I am on track to say it’s a crisis of my mental health and I don’t know how to proceed in terms of working. I could apply for annual leave but knowing my boss who has no compassion or understanding for mental health, she will deny my request so she doesn’t have to do the work herself. has anyone been in this situation?

Dan7991 Partner with bad mental health issues causing suicidal thoughts
  • replies: 1

Hi my name is DanIve been in a 3 way relationship for almost 2 years now with 2 guys, one I care about more than the other. He has been having serious mental health issues most of the time I have been with him, this has caused him to be cold and dist... View more

Hi my name is DanIve been in a 3 way relationship for almost 2 years now with 2 guys, one I care about more than the other. He has been having serious mental health issues most of the time I have been with him, this has caused him to be cold and distant going as far as making me stay away from him a month or two at a time, in the past year he has found someone whom he claims to not be in a relationship but is always giving him cuddles and buying him things constantly, he has told me he is the only person who has been able to keep him from committing suicide himself. I am stuck on the side barely getting any attention and he only ever texts me when he needs something, this has been ongoing and is causing my mental health to decline rapidly to the point where I have never been closer to suicide in my life. I feel so unloved and used and I don’t know what to do. I still love him to t he point it hurts

Robbie8 Apology not required
  • replies: 1

Mmm today I was so close to harming myself. Luckily I was able to find an available doctor to speak to. I sat in their office waiting room for nearly an hour non stop crying. I hadn't felt this way for many years and the talk helped. She made time fo... View more

Mmm today I was so close to harming myself. Luckily I was able to find an available doctor to speak to. I sat in their office waiting room for nearly an hour non stop crying. I hadn't felt this way for many years and the talk helped. She made time for me and acknowledged my distress at why I was upset. Being validated made me feel better. I will never apologise to a person that my friend is feeling they are being racist toward. Never. No matter how my boss forces me to do this. It upset me so much. They did not listen to my point of view. No one heard my voice that this is not acceptable no matter who it is against. Colleague or colleagues partner who my friend said that said these bad things towards them. I did not witness but no way in hell will I apologise for my friend that stood up to the racist comments. It is they that needs to apologise. NOT me nor my friend. No doubt I will recieve a written warning because I didnt apologise the way they wanted..