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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Depresion is crushing my acting career...

replies: 6

I am 5 years out of UNI where I studied acting and since then I have been doing well in my theatre career. However I feel like I'm loosing my momentum/motivation of making new works for the stage due to my depression resurfacing. I have been dealing with genetic anxiety/depression for over 10 years now; I have been seeing a theripist and taking medication for 7 of those years on and off. It's scaring me that I'm no longer motivated to get on stage and show my work, I know that I love it but my depression is getting in the way. I want to get back into my grove and keep creating but I don't know how to do that when my will to live is so low... Any advice/help would be greatly appreciated.

What do I do? I feel done

replies: 13

Without sharing to much I feel trapped and I feel like the responsible thing to do is talk to someone about it but i don't have a phone and no online options are available and I know talking to those I live with won't help, I'm sitting here with a method of finishing things debating the pros and cons and I'm only seeing pros, I have no idea what to do but I know what I want to do and its to stop feeling stressed and sad and living around idiots and being stuck no id or anything to even be able to get out off this mess and even though offing myself won't make me happy I won't feel bad anymore because wont feel anything. what do I do?

Is the system set up to let you fail?

replies: 3

After a long history of depression and a complex mental and physical health history, today I have reached the point where I feel I can no longer tolerate and sit with this anymore. I have always struggled to ask for help, but today I did. I used the text service at lifeline, the suicide call back service, I tried to call my GP, email my Psychologist and call my Psychiatrist. My husband called CATT. Yet here I am, sitting here alone, I remeber when I started to have suicidial thoughts I was terrified to share them with health professionals for the fear that they would take control of my life and I would have no say. But now, the pressure of knowing that I am the only thing between me and my end, that there is no safety net, there is no service that will help me or no person in my life that knows how, makes me feel completely defeated. What I wouldn't give for someone to take control for me at this point. They say to speak to someone if you are not OK. So I guess I am wondering, what now? Now that I have put my feelings and thoughts out there and expressed how unsafe I feel, who helps now? Because all those people and services that I thought were meant to help in this exact moment, don't seem to want/or be able to do a thing.

Fear of becoming another Victorian lockdown statistic

replies: 5

I have fought the urge to write another thread here today, but am feeling extremely isolated due to the latest snap lockdown in Victoria. I’ve had a bad couple of weeks and came close for the first time ever, to ending it all. I ended up being talked into going to hospital emergency where I was admitted for 3 days of care. I then transferred to a residential recovery centre, supposedly for a couple of weeks, but due to a number of circumstances, including covid restrictions, ended up home on my own again, but with a small positive hope of some face to face support in my community…. then the lockdown happened! I live in a regional community where no case have ever been, but I have to endure the isolated lifestyle because it’s the law, and my struggle has been worsening independent of covid. When admitted to hospital, I had the most severe anxiety and depression I have ever experienced and spent most of the time crying for no reason. I fear now the same cycle is beginning, with the anxiety pangs building, and feel the never ending restrictions leave no hope of every recovering. I wish I could live in another state, where on the whole most people have lived with some degree of freedom. I live on my own, and I am now not allowed to visit anyone, nor anyone come to my house. Surely if I’m in such a state, there could be an exemption for that, as I may end up gone anyway, regardless of the risk of covid infection. I have been given a local crises hotline, but I’m too timid to ring it. And no one is allowed to physically visit me anyway. I'm condemned to talk to people on virtual for the rest of my life! I started on antidepressants a couple of weeks ago, but they have caused me more problems and I won't take them anymore. I'm tired and the world has become too complicated, and is not for me

My friend is dead

replies: 8

So. Thursday night my friend took her own life. Due to Covid I haven’t seen her in over a year although we do communicate often. Well did communicate. I knew she was struggling mentally, heck we both were. But now she’s gone and whilst I’m sad. Like I’m truly heart broken. I’m also jealous. I’m jealous she doesn’t have to deal with life anymore and the emotional rollercoaster we are all expected to ride on. I also feel guilt. Because maybe I could have done or said something to stop it. But who knows. Right now I’m just really trying to get my head around the fact that she’s gone, yet I’m here still facing the daily struggles. I almost feel relieved for her. Because now unlike myself, she’s free from pain and suffering, yet I’m expected to keep putting one step in front of the other. It just sucks.

Feeling The Sting Of Rejection

replies: 4

Just not dealing with someone I liked finding someone else he thinks is more compatible. Just sick of feeling used and like how I feel doesn't matter. Sick of being alone and liking someone only to have them find someone else. Just don't see the poin... View more

Parental Shock

replies: 2

My young adult sin just expressed thoughts of not wanting to exist. First time ever. 2-3 years struggling with anxiety an depression. Not once did he share Suicide,till now he actually vocalised this. I need to get him to see he needs intervention. But he just wants to be alone. I think he's trying to do it on his own - pull him out of his own thoughts, pain. Please if any ideas how to respond to my 23 year old, your help is much needed. thank you ...

I don’t know if I’m alright-

replies: 3

I’ve been doing alright lately, struggling a little cause my friend’s been down. Recently I started self-harming again but it’s worse than before. Not even because I necessarily need a vent. I don’t know if I’m going insane or I’m just so deep in everything that I don’t even realise it. My friends are telling me to stop but I genuinely take pleasure in it. This feeling scares me, cause I’ve been called psychotic before and I don’t want them to be right.

Anxiety at school?

replies: 4

Aaabjfjfbjdjdjdjfbjdkoejdjdj. once upon a TIME i was a happy student. Yh the only TIME was the last holiday where i never met any people during those peaceful times. ....and here i am writing this at midnight with tears running down my cheeks also realising that i have SCHOOL tomorrow. i never ask for help. If people ask me how im doing i always reply with “im fine, everything is good” the only reason why i reply in this way is because i know noone would understand or help properly. And so my sadness just keeps building up with my smile sealing it... anxiety at school is one of the hardest thing ive dealt with and im still dealing with it right now. It may seem like im battling with just myself and others but in reality for me... its having another PERSON OR ME inside of my brain. It keeps talking and talking. Sometimes it gets so overwhelming that i just speak out loud “shut up, be quiet!” in the middle of class. Ofcourse it’s embarrassing when people look at me in shock which again makes my stress level go higher. I BARELY look at peoples faces. If i had to i would definitely avoid looking at their eyes because i see my voice reflecting back at me with negative thoughts. It’s terrifying... My social anxiety has gotten even worse after my mum passed away from cancer 4 months ago. I feel no purpose in attending school. Just there to suffer to find a way out of this war that is happening inside of me. No matter how much i breathe slowly and remind myself that this is the present, I constantly get knocked down by my anxiety. I pinch myself so hard till i bleed to make sure that this isnt a nightmare. Im honestly confused by now with everything. Me:why am i here for? Whats da point??! Anxiety: Did u forget? you serve a place for me inside YOU (haha my anxiety made me read what i wrote like 15 times)

Stay positive

replies: 1

Hello all. I know that this time is really hard for some people. But just a reminder that you are good hands here. Do seek help, don't get bogged down with worries. And please don't listen to judgemental people out there. Some people will call you se... View more

Do you have a safety plan? replies: 97

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

Depresion is crushing my acting career... replies: 6

What do I do? I feel done replies: 13

Is the system set up to let you fail? replies: 3

Fear of becoming another Victorian lockdown statistic replies: 5

My friend is dead replies: 8

Feeling The Sting Of Rejection replies: 4

Parental Shock replies: 2

I don’t know if I’m alright- replies: 3

Anxiety at school? replies: 4

Stay positive replies: 1