Suicidal thoughts and self-harm

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Welcome to the Suicide and Self-Harm Section

replies: 0

Hi there, Welcome to the Suicide and Self-Harm section of the Beyond Blue Forums. Life gets pretty hard sometimes, and many people here on the Forums have had times where they have thought about harming themselves or ending their life. This can be a deeply distressing experience, and this section is here to support members who have had these experiences. This section is not a crisis support service. If you are in crisis or need immediate help, assistance is not available via these Forums. Please call: Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 (24/7) Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24/7) If it is an emergency, contact emergency services on 000. This is a place to share where you are at, seek ideas for support 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. 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 the 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. If after a period of time you no longer wish others to engage in the discussion you have started, please use the 'Report Post' button and request the discussion be locked to prevent any further replies. Thank you for being here, we're glad you're here. Treat yourself gently as you read through this section. Beyond Blue

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

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Mood switching up

replies: 2

My life has been great recently, but I feel numb to it all. I'm struggling with difficult thoughts at the moment, and don't know how to cope. I feel like I'm faking all of my feelings but at the same time they're so so real. My thoughts change hour by hour, I can appear fine and just being kinda disconnected and then it'll switch into suicide mode really fast. I hate that this happens, and when I'm feeling up I can't explain how I feel when I'm down. I've tried writing my feelings out when I feel bad but then when I'm up it just washes me away. If i try to give them to someone to explain it i just break down and nothing makes sense. I have no idea how to ask for help and how to stay consistent with management strategies. No one in my close circle can give me advice, my parents don't believe anything I say and I find it too hard to talk to the school counsellor. Does anyone have any clue how to help?

How to address self harm

replies: 1

Hi Everyone, I’ve had issues in the past and more recently with self harm. I want to talk to someone about it but I don’t know who to address it with. I’m not really seeing my psychologist anymore and would have been reluctant to raise with her anyway. My GP is the obvious choice but I don’t want to lose his confidence and trust, especially given he’s the one whose been prescribing the medication. I’m not one for group therapy but wondering if there are any support groups or obvious people I could raise this with for some support. Thanks a lot.

Recurrent thoughts

replies: 12

Hi all, I have generally been managing ok, keeping negative thoughts at bay and maintaining a reasonably positive outlook. I see my psychologist monthly at the moment. I know suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem, that people would miss me, that my pets need me etc. Generally all of that plus various activities in my life have helped keep me positive. Lately though that little voice in my head has been getting more demanding and I have been finding myself having thoughts again that I shouldn’t be here. I work to ignore these thoughts but it is really hard. Will this ever end?

Pointless

replies: 1

I feel like I’ve been running around in circles. I’ve suffered with SH for around 3 years. I’ve been in and out of depressive episodes. And my anxiety is always eating away at me. And sometimes I feel like it’s just pointless for me to be here? As if I don’t really serve a purpose ? I keep losing people I love, and I end up giving up on making those connections because everyone always leaves. But I’m a student, and I work a couple jobs. I don’t plan on doing anything it just gets mentally heavy ?

I hope that I don’t wake up.

replies: 1

Honestly, I don’t plan on doing anything. There are lots of things I want to do and things I’m grateful for. But I’m burnt out, depressed and I’ve experienced multiple triggers in the last week and over the last year. I’m a full time carer to my sibling. I’m in education at full time equivalent and despite working, I’m still mostly reliant on Centrelink Austudy. My study and work have been a great distraction, but it’s no longer working. I don’t want to be alive anymore. I get these thoughts when I go to sleep, when I wake, when I drive and when I’m supporting my sibling. But honestly, I think I just need a really long break from my family and supporting my sibling. I’m never going to get that, though. Not while I’m still alive.

Not sure what to do.

replies: 2

Hello to whoever's reading this.I'm stuck. I'm 21 years old, and have been affected by depressive thoughts and suicidal ideation for quite some time now. Last year, I found out I was legally too late to abort an unwanted and unintended pregnancy. I was manipulated into keeping it, and I hate myself for it; I've never felt so empty or useless before. I never, ever wanted to have offspring, and--depsite what everyone's said--my feelings haven't and are not likely to ever change. Nobody seems to understand that. I feel so alone.I want a hysterectomy so badly. I was only allowed to get a c-section instead of a natural birth because of a single male doctor who didn't treat me like dirt. I've always been afraid of doctors, and I know that I have to see one to get the surgery, but I also know that the chances of any doctor allowing me to have that kind of medical autonomy is ridiculously low. The prospect of getting a hysterectomy is the only thing keeping me around, but I don't want to "blackmail" anyone into doing it for me, either. It scares me I've come to terms with the possibility of getting shot down and the outcome of my actions if it doesn't happen.I hate myself for being born with a uterus. I hate myself for having sex. I hate myself for being so sad all the time. I hate being so worthless. I don't know what to do.My laziness is the only thing keeping me from acting on my thoughts, so I'm safe. Just aimless. I want to live my life instead of merely existing in someone else's. I want so badly to amount to something more than what I am.

What Happens When You Go To Hospital

replies: 3

Hi allI’m 51 year old suffering PTSD anxiety and depression following accident that killed my husband 3 years ago. Functionally normally in day to day life but legal stuff happening (finally) and it is bringing back all my PTSD symptoms and I am having self harm thoughts. I know the hospital system is crowded and don’t want to sit in waiting room for hours in tears and not coping: and then worried about what happens next. I want to know what happens when you go to A&E in this situation?

Suicidal

replies: 2

Hi I’m Sufia I’m 21 year old female going through a lot in and out of hospital everyday with no support. I am finding it hard to manage my feelings and worried what I may do.

Help needed

replies: 185

Hi it’s a long story so I will keep it short as possible I am a farmer and also work in a hospital as a cleaner I have worked hard 7 days a week for 35 years, we opened our farm up to foster children so we. could teach them farm life something they would never experience ,we done it for ten years had two in permanent care one is still with us one 16 year old girl done a runner and took off and has made up false allegations against me no charges have been laid yet I went to court 2 months a go I now have to go back in four days I I am so scared can’t sleep properly sever anxiety I have never done a single thing wrong in my life have thought about suicide nearly every day I have even googled the fastest way to die,two people I worked with both committed suicide 4 years a go. I love my family and the foster child that Is still staying with us knows her twin sister is lying, I am so scared I will go to jail for something I didn’t do so suicide really is the only way out for me, who is going to believe a 57 year old man what do I do the stress is so bad it’s effecting my work.

I want to kill myself

replies: 1

I need a girlfriend but as a 20 year old man that is proving to be very difficult.

Welcome to the Suicide and Self-Harm Section replies: 0

Do you have a safety plan? replies: 97

Mood switching up replies: 2

How to address self harm replies: 1

Recurrent thoughts replies: 12

Pointless replies: 1

I hope that I don’t wake up. replies: 1

Not sure what to do. replies: 2

What Happens When You Go To Hospital replies: 3

Suicidal replies: 2

Help needed replies: 185

I want to kill myself replies: 1