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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New to antidepressants and sad

replies: 10

Hi so I'm only on my 4th day of taking antidepressants due to depression, anxiety and S/H. Yesterday I almost felt normal and happier at work. Also i know it's bad, but I had 4 glasses of wine last night. I know it canmake symptoms worse but I disregarded any of my rational, sensible thoughts. By the 3rd glass, my head felt funny. I stopped after 4. I knew I had had enough. I had more left and normally I'd drink it. Today I woke up in a panic. Thought I had slept though my alarm but I still had 10 minutes. My heart has been pounding too. Yesterday I felt positive. Today I feel sad and anxious and on the verge of tears. Nothing has happened either. I'm guessing this is normal to have ups and downs?Also I know it's bad, but I do have the uegeto S/H today. I'm off to work and feeling low. I've been having back pain, feeling nauseous at times and sometimes tired. I'm wondering if this is the medication.

How can I find Bulk Billing psychologists/counsellors? My mental health is progressively getting worse

replies: 5

Hey all, I have depression and ptsd and am struggling to find anyone who will bulk bill me, even with a care plan. My mental health is progressively getting worse, and I'm worried I'll make another attempt at my life if I can't find anyone soon. View more

On my own I guess

replies: 4

I no longer feel like theres an end to all this, I dont see anyway of this all going away or ending my life. I feel stuck in an empty room for the rest of my life. Im trying to convince my GP there has to be more going on but my medication just gets changed everytime. I no longer feel different when on antidepressants and the side affects of nausia and toilet problems now feel perminent even when off medication for months at a time. I cant expect my girlfriend or family to convince me Im important. All my hobbies have died off, I cant leave the house for simple things like food. Work is the only way ill willingly leave home and thats a whole story on its own. Sorry for using this platform to vent but I have nobody to talk to, ive tried. I want to see somebody who can tell me whats going on bc the counselling and doctor visits dont explain why I cant leave my bedroom. im scared for myself but I dont know how to show it

I just want it all to go away

replies: 2

I am struggling today. I am currently looking after my elderly mother full time who has just come out of hospital and is unable to care for herself. She is also starting to get dementia and is at times abusive towards me and its upsetting me because all I have ever done is try to help her. My father was mentally and emotionally abusive and I have struggled under the weight of worthlessness all of my life because of it. I have made a lot of bad decisions in my life and the anxiety doesn't help because I constantly revisit those decisions and relive them. I am childless because of some of these bad decisions and it is one of my biggest regrets. My partner has lost all interest in me and I am just going through the motions every day. I have no one who I can talk to as I don't really have many friends and those that I do are not close friends. I am not loved. I am sitting in the spare room with tears rolling down my face because of how helpless I feel. I have lived my entire life in fear of what others will think of me because of my father and it also didn't help that I was bullied throughout my entire school career. I feel physically sick. I just want it all to go away.

healthy coping strategies?

replies: 1

I am going to start this off by saying that i am currently self harm free for about 3 months but i need to find some better coping mechanisms because i don't know how much longer i can go without. I feel like every time i am sad it is my first instinct but lately i have been able to control it. I am not sure how much longer I can control it. I am reaching out to this forum to ask for better alternatives for dealing with suicidal thoughts that are positive as oppose to negative and self destructive. a couple months ago i found myself acting not like myself at all. I was drinking, vaping, doing drugs, self-harming and even taking joints off of strangers in public. Now looking back at this i know it is not me, but i want to replace these ideas and negative coping mechanisms before i fall back onto them. If you have any suggestions of healthy coping mechanisms i would really appreciate it. I feel like i am falling back into my old habits, and some of them still to this day haven't left. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, cheers, blank

coping with study topics triggering suicidal thoughts?

replies: 2

Hello, I am in a predicament because I currently have to do a literary study of Catcher in the Rye which features really heavy themes of suicide and self-harm, it is digging up a lot of old memories for me of remembering how I felt before I attempted to take my own life, it has been very hard for me to read let alone analyze the book due to these themes, the latter half of the book is all about contemplating and planning suicide (at least, thats what I understood it to be), it is very similar to my own thought processes when I was contemplating and planning suicide... the impact on loved ones, what my funeral would be like and how I was going to do it. I don't know what to do, I have to study it as it is in the HSC curriculum but it's so difficult for me to read without the dark thoughts reemerging. Does anyone have any ideas as to how to cope with such triggering content? sorry for such a short post, I just need advice, I can elaborate if necessary in the replies.

How to ask your GP for help for referral for psychologist.

replies: 104

Hi I am new here. For a while now I have had feelings of being sad and depressed,crying and drinking too much. Something is wrong with me. I feel I need to talk to someone. I usually talk to my best friend. She has her own issues at the moment and I don't want to burden my husband or family or worry them. Was thinking of asking my doctor for a referral for a psychologist. She does healthcare plans there. I feel very nervous to ask in case she thinks I am being dramatic, silly or not sad enough. How should I ask my doctor please? What do I say? I find this more nerve racking than telling her my medical issues. Thanks very much.

I’m unsure how I go about getting out of living in Bed

replies: 6

Hi To All, Fi Here ! I’m in a position where I’m worried about how to get out of bed.Clearly I am depressed. I’m also had therapy however I am STUCK !! I do have a lot of stress factors, try not to even think about anything. Unfortunately death passes my mind every day, however my safety plan is my Will isn’t written up, knowing this fact to me works . Throw in grief that’s going onto 5 years. I was on antidepressants however they stopped working a long time ago. I have cut everyone bar 2 people out of my life .I sleep heaps , awake early hours , watch mindless shows too not think.Is there places to go? I’m on disability.Any suggestions , I am aware exercise,routine etc BUT “IM JUST STUCK “ thanks for reading my post.DEPRESSION SUCKS

Thoughts of ending it all, I won't but the thoughts are getting more regular

replies: 4

Hi. Today I have decided to deal with depression once and for all. This weekend I felt quite suicidal and posted on LinkedIn what now feels like a goodbye note. I can't get interviews for jobs and I've pretty much given up. I use booze to take the pain away. I bumped into my neighbour who is a young GP and I was brave enough to ask for advice, well belp, hence I'm here writing my pain down. I have no family and not many friends. I believe I suffer from CPTSD but want to see a doctor tomorrow and hopefully get some counselling. However, being made redundant and not getting employment is taken its toll. It's scary thinking about suicide. OK, I just wanted to write something down, sorry if it's a rambling. Best regards.

Emotionally, spiritually and physically tired

replies: 159

Hello all, the last 2 and a half years have been exhausting and I feel like I am just living in an empty universe. I don’t want to talk to my family, my psychologist or anyone . I just want to be quiet and alone. Sometimes life is bearable and I love my children and feel more committed to living but other times I just want it to stop. For the silence and peace to begin. Would it be so awful for those around me to no longer have me in their lives as my constant up and down with sadness must be as tiring for them as it is for me. Things that used to help me focus and be grateful for small things don’t seem to snap me back into place and I just don’t want to do this anymore pure and simple.

Do you have a safety plan? replies: 97

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

New to antidepressants and sad replies: 10

How can I find Bulk Billing psychologists/counsellors? My mental health is progressively getting worse replies: 5

On my own I guess replies: 4

I just want it all to go away replies: 2

healthy coping strategies? replies: 1

coping with study topics triggering suicidal thoughts? replies: 2

How to ask your GP for help for referral for psychologist. replies: 104

I’m unsure how I go about getting out of living in Bed replies: 6

Thoughts of ending it all, I won't but the thoughts are getting more regular replies: 4

Emotionally, spiritually and physically tired replies: 159