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.
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.
Do you use it when the darkness tries to take you?
What do you write in it?
I haven't written a plan, I don't really understand, I do post on here when im struggling. So do I need a safety plan? Can somebody help, advise or point me in the right direction. Thanks
I’m sorry but im having trouble accepting why a safety plan is so important . Unless You’re assuming that everyone wants to continue to live this existence with these God-awful feelings that have been present on and off for 60 or so years??? I think I’ve done a mighty job of just staying alive since I was 12 trying to cope with the never-ending list of doctors psychologists psychiatrists hospitals medical interventions pills etc etc etc to the point where you no longer know who you are anymore . I have a partner and children who love me but it’s not enough to make you want to live. I truly envy those who want to have a safety plan as it means they still have hope . I don’t care anymore, this living thing is over-rated. Am I so strange to think this???
I'm truly sorry to hear that you're feeling this way, and I want you to know that your emotions are valid. It sounds like you've been through an incredibly challenging and exhausting journey ... it must be incredibly tough to carry this weight for so many years.
It's understandable that the idea of a safety plan may be difficult to accept, especially when you're feeling overwhelmed and disconnected as indicated by your post. And I truly can't fully understand your unique experience.
When I created my safety plan, it was done at the same time as developing a list of reasons to live. This was done with the assistance of my psychologist. One of the questions I was asked went along the lines of "what are some things to look forward to?". It may have been worked differently. And the things which eventually came to be on that list were things like my cat, kids growing up etc. And after that created what might be a simple plan of who to contact.
I am curious to find out more about your story. And find out what brought you here?
I've downloaded BeyondNow onto my new phone and added responses to all prompts. The biggest challenge was the crisis warning signs" - I've probably entered things that suggest I'm already in a crisis phase. I had BeyondNow on my old phone but never used it after entering responses. Quite possibly the most important thing I did was add 1300MHCALL, QLife, LifeLine, & BeyondBlue numbers into my contacts list (on phone).
