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Suicidal thoughts and self-harm

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Sophie_M 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 wi... View more

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

Sophie_M 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 h... View more

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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sky98 I have posted and just an update
  • replies: 1

I talked to a person on the hotline but I feel like I got reassured but no help at the same time I don’t feel like anything I do helps what should and what can I do?

I talked to a person on the hotline but I feel like I got reassured but no help at the same time I don’t feel like anything I do helps what should and what can I do?

dunno66 What to do?
  • replies: 2

I’m sure this is a common theme on here and I am sorry for adding to the repetitiveness. But what am I supposed to do? As in with life? I feel no one wants to me around me, have no friends and no sense of life - I feel I have never fit in anywhere an... View more

I’m sure this is a common theme on here and I am sorry for adding to the repetitiveness. But what am I supposed to do? As in with life? I feel no one wants to me around me, have no friends and no sense of life - I feel I have never fit in anywhere and just don’t know what I’m supposed to do? I work, but don’t really enjoy it. Have pets, but feel that they would be better off without me/feel like it’s too much to care for them. I have a partner, but I seem to just make his life harder and bring him down. I really don’t have much to look forward to and what I do have it seems like then what? So I get X - then what? The world is still a difficult place to live and everything is so uncertain - nothing seems to work out for me in the end - so why bother? I stick around for my kids and partner - but they don’t want anything to do with me. I just feel like I am a burden to everyone. Others who have found themselves in similar situations - what can I do? I have no idea what interest me, no hobbies and no drive for hobbies. I’d like to have a friendship circle, but never really make friends.

Annewithan-e Fighting for me v. so very tired of everything
  • replies: 111

I’m so very conflicted. I’ve been fighting with myself for some time now. I get so very torn between fighting for myself, my wellness mentally and physically and being so very tired of myself I wish I wasn’t here. I know I don’t want to die but I’m s... View more

I’m so very conflicted. I’ve been fighting with myself for some time now. I get so very torn between fighting for myself, my wellness mentally and physically and being so very tired of myself I wish I wasn’t here. I know I don’t want to die but I’m sick of feeling like this and sometimes think it would be better if I wasn’t here. Does that make sense? I feel like such a burden. Like resources would be spent elsewhere. I feel like I’m trying so hard to get better but I’m failing. I’ve had 13 surgeries in the last two years. I’m battling my past which has come back to haunt me when I have the least resources I’ve ever had in my life. I have so many hopes, wishes, desires... but I can’t pull myself out of this deep deep heaviness. I am so confused, just under a year ago I was more unwell than I ever have been... I never acknowledged how unwell at the time, I was told I had about 12 weeks to live if I didn’t take certain action. Through it all I prioritized work and hardly missed a beat there but ever other element of my life suffered greatly. It’s only just hitting me now how bad things were... and how I chose to face it. How naive and ignorant I was.

sky98 I don’t know what to do
  • replies: 3

So I think I might have depression I stay in bed all day but I go to work I put a fake smile and I used to skate but I lost interest for no reason as well my family ask me how I’m doing I say I’m fine and I do want to tell them but I just feel scared... View more

So I think I might have depression I stay in bed all day but I go to work I put a fake smile and I used to skate but I lost interest for no reason as well my family ask me how I’m doing I say I’m fine and I do want to tell them but I just feel scared I also have had thoughts of suicide but I know I will ever act on them because I don’t ever want my family to feel sad about it so what do I do? I’m sorry about my grammar but I’m in a rush to work I just wanted to post this and hopefully come home to something that might help me

emau 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 b... View more

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?

Rupes79 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 anywa... View more

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.

ktac1689 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 m... View more

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?

_M_ 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... View more

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 ?

Ashii 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 sibl... View more

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.

anonym00s 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 w... View more

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.