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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Grieving Suicide

replies: 4

I'll preface by saying that I'm not at immediate risk of suicide, and that I've discussed this with my psych and my partner. I guess I'm just wondering if anyone has felt like this too. In 2016 I had a serious suicide attempt (not to say all attempts shouldn't be considered serious. Just that drs aren't sure how I survived it). Things got better. I met my wonderful partner in 2017, we have had loads of fun and adventures. And he's always been so supportive when I struggle. We had our daughter in 2020 and, despite some PPA, any times.of depression has been fairly brief. Until now. I'm suffering a long and very deep bout of depression. And I've realised, suicide is no longer an option because I'd never leave our daughter. So that means, no matter how bad things get, I have to suffer it, no matter what. There's no longer that option of a way out. I've massively spiralled since realising this and I have no idea how to cope with it. Suicide was always a safety net you know? Now it isn't. Now I'm stuck. Having depression (granted at varying degrees) for the rest of my life. Had anyone else struggled with this realisations? I get that protective factors are supposed to be a good thing, but right now I'm really resenting them. I can't self harm or just get obliterated on alcohol. Logically I know this is a good thing. But it doesn't feel good. It feels way worse. And I can never end my life. No matter how bad it gets. I honestly don't know how to cope with this realisation. Thanks if you read this.

broken heart and no where to turn

replies: 3

Hello all i'm suffering a broken hearti had a relationship end badly and i'm in a rut atmi'm living alone currently without many friends and no contact with my family. i don't have any mental health support privately but am case-managed in the public system. So, i see a case manager every 2 weeks and a psychiatrist every 6 months or a bit less if i'm in crises.My friends are really supportive but some of them want me to sstop talking about the heartbreak and feel that better things are on the horizon. I can't see a horizon. I've been sectioned a few times under the mental health act because i feel like hurting myself. I know these forums have strict rules and i'll try be respectful. I hope people can meet me where i'm at, but i feel a lot of shame talking about suicide and i don't want to feel that shame more, so it helps me to talk. I welcome all input from anyone and all are welcome. x Sleepy21

Ignoring this any longer feels like lying to myself.

replies: 2

I think I have a good life, I've been so "blessed", yet being mentally ill won't let me actually feel it.I know people love me but I just hear words, the only times I feel valuable is when I do something for someone and they thank me.I wish I could stop thinking for a moment, to not have to feel some type of pressure. I'm very lonely today, the only person I truly I can be myself with is very sick right now and I had not realized how he keeps me from falling apart.I don't want to ignore this thoughts anymore, I can't make them go away, its like unless I hurt myself or actually die, people around me wont understand to what low I feel I have gotten; but also, I just don't think I'll ever be able to let it go.2020 I hurt myself, but after battling with myself, I decided to give it another shot; and I cant explain how much I regret not doing it then. The more I grow the harder life gets, the more burden and pain I leave behind.I'm just so fucking tired of carrying with the burden of my existence, not even my parents could be bothered making space for me in the world, why would it be anyone else's job? I just wish I could let someone look after me, but going to a hospital or psych ward is taking the space of someone who probably has it worse than me. Wish I could go somewhere nice and quite

Fish bowl

replies: 5

Struggling very lost and confused. Been to hospital earlier this year but I didn’t continue with the medication I was put on while in there. I had a psychologist but I just wouldn’t show up to the appointments I was either in bed depressed or thinking I was fine and don’t need to go. I don’t see the point in anything what so ever. happy people make me angry, people reaching out to me make me angry and think they’re talking about me. I have been trying to sleep my life away it’s just painful. Been wanting to self harm and thoughts of suicide come especially when I’m trying to go to sleep at night. I can’t get myself to phone or go to the psychologist even if it would be helpful

Self harm

replies: 6

Hey umm I feel like self harming but I really don't want to since I'm 2 weeks clean.

If I can so can you

replies: 1

Well I'm new here and well I don't really know how to do this, like speak my mind, you know what I mean? I want the pain to go away, I really do, I hate my life, I know I do, I don't like who I am. I have recently, in fact just yesterday, cancelled my psychiatrist appointments, of which yes again P have only managed to complete one of. I have tried over and over again, to find the trust to confide in someone else, but it really isn't me. I don't know if its the fact that I don't know the person, not having trust in them, or not having the trust in myself, because yes I want to get better, and feel happy, but I feel like I don't deserve that, I don't deserve to be happy. Or is it just that I don't know how to put my feelings and thoughts into words, I mean how can I when I don't even understand any of these thoughts and feelings myself. sometimes, well actually a lot of the times I want to die, I know the world would be better off without me, and that no one would care, let alone realize that I'm gone. But at the same time I guess I don't want to die, sometimes I self harm, not with the intentions to die, but with the purpose of it feeling like a way, a thing that I have control over, a way to defeat this depression, a way to simply let go of some of it. However I am now 3 months sober of self harm, yes it still crosses my mind, but you must know that the worse of these thoughts provenly only last 90 seconds, as my therapists told me, so just think of something that will distract you for those 90 seconds. I know you've got it in you

Desperate

replies: 2

Hi. I have suffered from depression for decades. I have noticed in the last few months that I’ve slowly gotten worse . Not much gives me joy anymore . I train in the gym which I have always loved and now it’s a chore . I have 3 grand kids . They gave me such joy but now I feel overwhelmed as I have them at my house daily . I am just miserable . I have a great husband but I am just lost. I just wish I wouldn’t wake up. Feel like my life is wasting away but I don’t have the energy or anything to looo forward too. im 43. I used to work as a personal trainer but I gave up a few years ago as I cannot hold down a job with my mental health as I know I am not reliable. Please help. I feel like I am going mad .my whole mental health revolves around losing weight all the time . If I look thin, I’m happier . Stupid

All too much

replies: 3

life is just too much right now.Ive had suicidal thoughts for over 30 years and I just really don't know how to ignore them anymore Life was ment to get easier not harder.I feel like I can't talk to anyone I've no friends no family besides my husband and our 4 children 3 of which have special needs and I'm their main carer.When does it get better when can I not feel this way People really don't understand when I say I have NO SUPPORT NETWORK I can't even afford to go to a doctor.Ive tei d talking to doctors in the past they just want to Medicare me I've never even had a proper mental health plan doneOne doctor even told me I'm old enough to know how to cope

Feeling down

replies: 1

Just feeling down emotionally physically and mentally I’m drained exhausted tired can’t sleep I’m at lowest point feeling helpless worthless not enough not good enough feeling weak having no energy no strength feeling sad hurt and broken I hate mysel... View more

hi im new to this please talk to me i need someone x

replies: 2

just want to chat about some thoughts i have had recently and i can talk to someone as well xx

Do you have a safety plan? replies: 97

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

Grieving Suicide replies: 4

broken heart and no where to turn replies: 3

Ignoring this any longer feels like lying to myself. replies: 2

Fish bowl replies: 5

Self harm replies: 6

If I can so can you replies: 1

Desperate replies: 2

All too much replies: 3

Feeling down replies: 1

hi im new to this please talk to me i need someone x replies: 2