Safety

Hi @Eden1919

Sorry that you read it that way, it wasn't the intention. As I said in the email, no one deserves to go through the consistent tough times that you have been through lately, which is why we want to give you support that will most benefit you.

The intent was to work with you on finding ways to use the Forums that might be more helpful than they seem to be at the moment.

An example of some of the different ways people have found the Forums helpful during times of crisis have included:

Posting about what is causing the distress: For example, if something happened at the psychologist appointment, an argument, anniversary or even if they member isn’t not sure what exactly it was that triggered the crisis. This can be helpful for the member in crisis as it might provide some insight, peace of mind, feel less alone, get some advice from someone who has been there. It also helps the members who are supporting the person in crisis, as it gives them something tangible to provide advice and support on.

Find social threads that are good distractions during times of crisis: Some people don’t find it helpful to talk about what’s going on when they are in crisis, so they join social discussions to distract. Some examples include:

Friday Feast : A thread where members come together on a Friday night and share a virtual dinner and chat about non-mental health related things

Anyone feel like chatting: A place to talk about any topic

Night Shift: A place people chat when they can’t sleep

Funny memes and pictures: A place people can post funny memes and images

365 Project: A place people post things of what they are grateful for

There are many more, which are mostly in Enjoying time with others.

Find threads that contain specific distractions and strategies to get through crisis: Some members use threads the contain specific strategies and ideas for distractions help. They may just read them and work through them, or even contribute to the discussion.

Some examples include:

The anything but ‘it’ thread : A discussion that contains different types of distractions

The coping box: A place people have shared what they use when they are in crisis

A daily dose of mindfulness: Ideas and tips on mindfulness exercises

Again, I'm sorry that you feel as though I was trying to say that you bother everyone and you should stop. The intention was to provide a potentially more helpful way of using the Forums, as they don't seem to be helping at the moment.

If any other members want to post about things they find helpful in the Forums, it would be great to hear them.

Hopefully this hasn't discouraged you @Eden1919

Hello @Eden1919 🙂

I want you to know the moderators have made me feel safer on this Forum. I have had a couple of posts 'taken off' and the moderators always explain why, it's not because I've said or done the wrong thing, or that I've been bad - there are a lot of different individuals here and the guides and moderators care for us all. When I first got on the Forum it was pretty overwhelming and my suspicious mind thought all sorts of things were going on. The moderators contacted me by email and assured me everything was fine and encouraged me to come back on. It was the best thing ever for me 🙂 I live a very lonely life and get very confused and emotional, but the people here understand me better than anyone I've ever known. Your allowed to be you here, if your feeling bad then your allowed to feel bad - it's ok. I'm sorry you feel bad, but understand. I wish you well and hope you do continue to put your valuable thoughts and feeling in here

@NikNik thankyou for clarifying what you meant

just so you all know what i have been doing IS helping me it may not seem like it and even though the crisis is not going away for me knowing that there is someone there somewhere has literally been keeping me alive no it is not making me feel any better over all but it is keeping me alive and at the moment that is all i can even think of hoping for. i am balancing on a very thin wire at the moment and any even light breeze will tip me over the edge so i am sorry if i am being sensitive.

Hi @Eden1919,

I am super glad you are finding the forums helpful. I have been reading your posts at times, but I'm afraid I've been too busy riding my own waves of giant feelings and suicidal ideation lately, to sit with you in your distress. I can certainly relate to the need to focus only on staying alive while anything beyond that seems impossible. These giant waves of SI DO pass @Eden1919, they truly do. I don't know when the wave will pass, but I know for certain that it will. I've been riding such waves since 1997. They are still just as difficult and painful to ride, but I do now have a whole lot of tools in my toolkit to help me deal with them and I also have a twenty year track record of knowing that they do pass and there are brighter times inbetween them. I'm really pleased you have found the forums @Eden1919 and I hope you find them as supportive and helpful in riding the waves, as I do.

@Eden1919 what you have just done shows incredible strength and courage - you have reached out again for support despite feeling earlier like you could not. There will always be support here for you and understanding that these feelings are ongoing but connecting with others is actually helping is important for everyone to know. I know you have had some conversations on other threads and in time we can work together to help you 'branch out' a little more and connect with more people that you feel comfortable with. There are some truly amazing and wonderful on the forum and their experiences, stories and ways of coping or dealing with MI are an inspiration to many. I think this is what NikNik was getting at - we can all learn a lot from each other and take some solace in knowing that we are not alone, our situations or not unique and that there is support for each and every one of us no matter what we are dealing with.

Zoe

And don't forget @Phoenix_Rising and @Eden1919...

we have a 100% success rate of surviving each day...

@Eden1919 feeling like giving up and actually giving up are very different buddy. Actually connecting here and talking about how you are feeling is positive - that to me shows that you don't really want to 'give up' but you are struggling with the enormity of how you are constantly feeling and need reassurance that someone is listening to you and hearing how bad you are feeling - I get it!

Your psychologist is right and be assured that your 'problems' are serious enough to ask for extra help - and if that means going to the ED then that is what you should do. We all want you to feel safe and to be safe.

Keep talking Eden and keep connected here...

Sitting with you...

Zoe

Hi @Eden1919,

I'm not up on your story, so please forgive me if this is a stupid question. I'm just wondering what you are scared of right now? I can hear that you feel you only have a few days left in you. I know that when I'm super struggling, I don't bother thinking about tomorrow, or the day after, I just focus on staying alive and managing the big feelings right now.

@Phoenix_Rising I am scared that there is someone watching me and waiting to attack me and my family. i am scared that they are watching everything i do and that they are trying to poison me i am even scared that they are watching me on here i dont know who the person is but i know they are watching and it really scares me i cant go to the shops without being scared they will appear there and i am really scared.