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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Correctional Services toxic workplace

replies: 8

Hi everyone, I’d like to tell you my story of how I was a victim of workplace bullying. I worked for the department of correctional services in a high security prison. I have been with the department for well over 7 years and have seen some very interesting things. I’m a 6 ft 31 year old man of aboriginal heritage. During my years with the service, I have been assaulted, threatened to be killed, have had piss and shit thrown at me, all these things have happened to me but I accepted it as part of my job, dealing with the worst of society. But nothing has brought me to my knees as bad as being victim to cruel and inhumane workplace bullying at the hands of my work colleagues. Just recently my ex girlfriend had taken her life due to circumstances I can’t comment on and it’s left me in a state of grief, thoughts of whether I’m to blame for her demise and could I have done more to help her. I had found some sort of level of peace and had come to terms with it after a few months. Until one day, I decided to have lunch at the staff, the first time I have been to the staff mess since the passing of my ex. I was sitting down enjoying a nice hot bowl of soup when my supervisor walks in. He immediately begins to crack his jokes and dark humour, takes one look over at me and says “Geez mate, you’ve got a pretty shit track record of women” and I pause and say “How’s that mate? To which he replies “Well you’ve gotten one pregnant and ya last one killed herself” those words completely breached my thick skin and cut into my soul, it was as if I was glued to my seat, I couldn’t move I couldn’t speak when all I wanted to do was get up and leave. To end this conversation my supervisor laughs and said “I bet you raped her to? I was In complete and utter shock! I knew this man for 7 years of my working career in corrections, he was like a mentor, a friend, a brother whom I had confided in during the loss of my ex. He used it all against me to grandstand himself in front of all our peers at the staff mess. I wrote him up the next day which is a cardinal sin according to the Blue shirt code. It still hasn’t given me peace and has caused nothing but anxiety and worry! I can’t sleep and I’m not eating, I feel so on edge all the time. I’m hoping this investigation will give me clarity. Thank you for allowing me to voice this story. Anyone else have a similar story?

Young daughter has self-harm activities and suicide thought constantly.

replies: 2

My daughter is 13 yrs old. Late last year, she had a bully from a dancing teacher aid. Then her temper has changed a lot within this half year. She is ok at school, but eaily getting mad at home. From early this year, we have found serveral cutting scars on her arm, and discovered that she has suicide thought for a while. At the moment, she is struggling with night sleep, and always worries about her body weight. We have tried to ask for some help, but she is reluctant to see any phycologist for support. She is not sharing anything with parents, and always lock her up in her room when she is not happy. Recently she had a big argument with me (dad) and does not want to talk to me anymore. We dont know how to handle this situation and look forward to your immediate help. Thanks.

Need help

replies: 3

I’ve lived with depression my whole adult life, and never sought help, but the last two days I’ve been researching exit strategies.I think I’m really bad. I know I should get help but have no idea exactly how I should start.i don’t have a GP I go to,... View more

It shouldn’t be this hard

replies: 2

Hello I am struggling to find hope and I don’t know why it is so hard. I have just come out of a long term relationship with the man I thought I would end up with. I moved cities, forgave lies, forgave him when he left me in a room to do drugs while I had an abortion, calling the police while I had a cigarette to avoid his alcohol psychosis - due to the constant begging for forgiveness and the empty promises. All of it took years of recovery and ended when he told me he couldn’t deal with his actions and he wasn’t okay when he entered the relationship. He tried still but I couldn’t be with someone who was unsure he could be with me and wanted to set himon a path to find his happiness as he expressed. A bruised ego shows no soul and no respect, or so it seems. I now find myself leaving the home I created with nowhere of my own to go, a career that suffered at the expense of his and am now being sexually harassed at work. I have no energy left to keep on trying. I tried for so long. Why won’t this end? All I can think about is the peace of death but my family would never recover. I don’t really know what I’m asking for other than a safe space and hopefully some helpful words, because I can’t go on like this. everyday I think about death and every day I breathe, I feel like the oxygen is almost gone

When family say hurtful things. Trigger warning *mention of suicide

replies: 6

So I was having a discussion with my parents about something I had just read about. Mum doesn't want to hear about anything that goes against the covid narrative but that's just for reference. Anyway mum asked me where I was getting my info from but knowing that would start an argument I didn't answer. Dad and I kept talking about the topic at hand. Mum then said to me, why don't you s%^$# yourself and then you won't have to worry about it I love my Mum more than life itself but I couldn't believe she would say such a thing! She doesn't know I struggle with self harm or that I have been suicidal in the past but what a thing to say to your child even if they are an adult.Thankfully I have an appointment with my psych next Monday so I can move past this but I just needed to tell someone as her comment has triggered me and I just need to write this out.I don't mean any malice or anger towards my Mum, I still love her I'm just really hurt and shocked by it.

You ever feel like life is meaningless at a base level

replies: 4

Like given how insignificant all of this is what’s the point? im not at the end of my rope but it seems like if you want to get anywhere with mental healthcare you have you be busting into the emergency room threatening to off yourself there and then and MABYE theyll give you a spot on the waitlist its got me thinking mabye they’ve got the right idea, life’s clearly not scared to the powers at be so why bother, all just seems like we are keeping going because that’s what someone else wants us to do, why can’t I just take the long nap and try my luck at whatever comes next?

Non stop pain

replies: 1

Is there anyone else like me who suffer non stop pain. Been to so many doctors none can really find the reason I have suffered prostate cancer had my prostate removed then I had bladder cancer tumors removed I’m doing well regarding the cancer got the all clear 2 years ago next is a double knee replacement which for some reason I’m very nervous about. If any one could suggest where I may go to find out why I’m in constant pain be so grateful.

Deuce

replies: 47

What can I say I got a very unexpected visit at my house late at night last week from the crisis team. Probably don’t need to embellish but totally put on the spot to go voluntarily or they would take that decision away as well. Don’t know why they call it a choice? To say I was a tad upset is an understatement so here I am for the past 3 days In a perfectly safe room that I cannot believe how much thought they have put into avoiding incidents. I have been studied like a bug and I found it extremely unsettling when I can normally bluff my way through things. The staff seem nice but there are some really scary people hence I have remained in my room. The tablets have helped a bit with sleep so I’m hoping to go home today. Do they normally use the element of surprise to throw people?? Signed Scrabbling.

I’m exhausted

replies: 2

I thought I was getting better because I stopped crying often. I thought I finally won, those thoughts that are overtaking my mind finally stopped. I’ve never been so wrong. I don’t know what to do anymore, I feel more and more exhausted every single day. These thoughts telling me to end it all gets louder and louder every night. I’m exhausted it’s not getting any better. I’ve tried to seek help and it’s not working. I feel like a burden to everyone and I just want it to stop. It’s gotten to the point where I start having random panic attacks when I’m in the public. I don’t have anything to look forward to. Don’t get me wrong, I tried like I really really tried. I tried to find reasons to live for, things to look forward to, small things to appreciate. I feel like a broken record, a person that’s drowning in a 5ft pool. It feels like I’m in a pool that’s not too deep but just deep enough to submerge my whole body up to my nose. I feel like I’m desperately trying to float only for me to choke on water. For once I just want to genuinely feel that warmth flowing through my body. I wan’t to go to bed at night looking forward to the next day, I want to be excited about my future. Cause frankly as of right now, I don’t know what to do anymore…

So sad

replies: 4

I'm a lurker here, bit hard to be not "to dark" when your whole existence seem one dark place but I read the threads here and I know exactly how much pain the author is in, to me it's just so clear and like I have read in the threads just like me they cant get the physiatrist, doctors or anyone who hasn't lived this curse to understand just what a hell it is, when a day misery seems like forever and a week, month,and in my case years is countless forever's. Mine is a chemical imbalance, had it 40+ years, no hidden traumas, no dark events but the despair and misery are very real. Sometimes I luck out and a med will help for awhile, 1 med even gave me some years where I actually thought "gee I actually get why unaffected people are happy to be alive" it was a revelation, it was fantastic, it was fleeting, Like all the other drugs before and after, they became ineffective, I've literally forgotten the names of all the different drugs I've been on, lateral ECT [or was it bi lateral, I get them confused now, I've had both] certainly helped with that, wiped great heaps of memory, cant remember great tracks of time, I see photos of our X-Mass 2020 holiday get away and nothing, no memory of it at all, On the + side I was suffering misery then to and since that whole time is gone I guess that means I must have been in misery a shorter time since I cant remember it. Next week they plan to put me in ward again and zap me multiple times the first 2 weeks and then maintenance zaps there after. it would be nice if it could buy me even a little respite but I've done it all before and still I'm here where I do know the misery, despair and pain all these poor authors feel, frankly, even though I keep fighting, trying and hoping I don't really believe there is any hope for me, 40+ years is just too long to hold on to hope, I really don't want to hurt my wife, she loves me, and I love her, 37 years married.

Do you have a safety plan? replies: 97

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

Correctional Services toxic workplace replies: 8

Young daughter has self-harm activities and suicide thought constantly. replies: 2

Need help replies: 3

It shouldn’t be this hard replies: 2

When family say hurtful things. Trigger warning *mention of suicide replies: 6

You ever feel like life is meaningless at a base level replies: 4

Non stop pain replies: 1

Deuce replies: 47

I’m exhausted replies: 2

So sad replies: 4