Mental Health - Education, Support and Prevention
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17 Dec 2024 11:08 PM
17 Dec 2024 11:12 PM
17 Dec 2024 11:12 PM
That's what I've been trying to do. But sometimes even that isn't enough. I'm losing control far too often and find myself battling very intense thoughts at all hours of the day/night. I'm reaching out for help in those moments to try to stay as safe as possible but more often than not I'm let down by services that are supposed to help.
17 Dec 2024 11:13 PM
17 Dec 2024 11:13 PM
@Former-Member
The relief self harm brings is addictive. It can help to twang your wrists with elastic bands or draw red lines on yourself. It is usually an impulse and you regret it later. Maybe try and think about the regret you will feel before you go through with it. Is there anyone you can call or something you can do to distract you through those moments?
17 Dec 2024 11:17 PM - edited 13 Mar 2025 12:57 AM
17 Dec 2024 11:17 PM - edited 13 Mar 2025 12:57 AM
Unfortunately for me it's not just a relief but it's also a punishment. And I've tried everything to stop myself from doing it. Flicking rubber bands, holding ice cubes, drawing on the area instead but nothing has ever helped. As for distractions I've tried everything possible and it worked for a while but not anymore. This feeling and the thoughts are so much more intense than I've ever dealt with.
17 Dec 2024 11:50 PM
17 Dec 2024 11:50 PM
@Former-Member It really does sound like such an incredibly difficult situation for you, it's difficult to even know what to suggest that may help you, other than just being here to listen if you feel that helps you.
I know in times where I felt really down on myself, for very different reasons than yourself, one thing I used to try was imagine I am talking to myself as my future self. So what would i say to myself to make me feel a bit more self-forgiving. So if I felt I was failing, I would think to tall myself that failing doesn't mean that i'm worthless, just that i'm struggling with a difficult situation on my own and i'm doing the best anyone could be expected to do.
For me, it was always why i struggled so much, because with only my own thoughts, those doubts, self-criticism, and guilt just continued to build until they felt so real that there was no alternative. So just by reaching out and hearing other people thoughts could I start to (slowly) doubt those feelings I had and learn to none of it was my fault and that enough people had made my life more difficult without me adding to that. So I learned to be kinder and more forgiving of myself which helped me to find ways to feel better about myself and seeing more clearly what was my fault, what wasn't, and exactly who that anger and pain I felt should really be directed at!
I'm in my mid 50's now and it's still hard but I do feel like I handle things better now that I would have even as little as a year ago.
Obviously, the intensity of your own feelings would be a lot more than what I felt, but maybe some of this may help, maybe not. But even just finding ways to get the emotions out of my head, to acknowledge them, and to accept it was okay to feel however i did at the time helped me a little. Like I said, I can't even being to imagine what you are dealing with, but I know that that anger, frustration and pain you feel for what happened to you and how you've been let down so badly since shouldn't be directed at yourself, but those that made you feel this way. Even if it means getting one of those punching bags or something and go to town on it! Direct all that pain and anger elsewhere, because it certainly doesn't deserve to be directed at yourself.
It's completely normal for anyone in a similar situation to have these intense feelings and thoughts that you experience. So trying to make them go away is probably fighting a losing battle, so direct them anywhere else other than the one place that don't deserve to go. I feel like by now you have surely punished yourself enough and it was never your fault anyway.
18 Dec 2024 12:46 AM
18 Dec 2024 12:46 AM
Hi @Former-Member
I don't know what to say except that I feel like I've been where you are... too hard... not worth it... that you don't let people in because they'll just let you down anyway? That you're too much for psychologists and too difficult for the hospital... that what's the point in trying to get help when they won't understand enough to help you the way you so desperately need...
I know it's dark there, with no family and no friends and no one who understands all that you've gone through and how amazing you truly are because you went through it despite them.
I know the thoughts that persist in the darkness, that every time someone lets you down, that you try, you punish yourself for trying.
I still punish myself for trying... everytime I let someone in and they tell me "I can't handle your drama"... the inner critic has a field day and says "how could I be so stupid for trusting her, I can't trust anyone and I'm stupid to think I can". Or you go to the hospital and they just tell you to stop wasting their time that they have actual jobs to do.
I wrote recently "what's the difference between hope and insanity", when insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result, then I think we're all insane in regards to our medical system.
We've been taught that we're the problem, that we're what's wrong, but that's not true, rather, we're the solution, to break the stigma, silence the critic and show the world how wrong they are.
You prove them wrong every day you wake up, every time you try, every time you post here, you're proving all the ones who say you can't, you're proving them wrong, you're saying that you're worth it.
18 Dec 2024 09:31 AM
18 Dec 2024 09:31 AM
Things are still very much happening to me so it's a constant battle. Whilst I've tried hard to not punish myself the fact that things are still happening for me and that I can't make it stop no matter how hard i try that why I feel the need to punish myself so much.
I've tried to find a part of myself that maybe there was a tiny bit that loved and cared about me but there honestly isn't anything there. There's only hatred and anger, frustration and sadness, worthlessness and failure, guilt and hurt. And it's all directed at myself, I can't help but feel that I deserve everything that's happening to me and that it's all my fault. That all I'm good for is to be used and abused.
18 Dec 2024 09:38 AM
18 Dec 2024 09:38 AM
The psychologist i saw told me that I was a lost cause and that has stuck with me, I've never been able to try again. I've had so many hospital stays both long and short but at the end I've been sent home with no support so things just end up back at square one.
My doctor is the only person I'm able to speak to and thankfully they get it and they support me. They've tried to get me help so many times but even they know how broken the system is and that there really isn't enough help out there when it comes to mental health.
Each day for me is getting so much harder, trying to fight my thoughts and urges, trying to reach out for help cos I know it's going to be the same result everytime. I'm just exhausted and at a point where it's all just too much for me to handle.
18 Dec 2024 10:39 AM
18 Dec 2024 10:39 AM
Hello @Former-Member
I'm so sorry to hear that this was said to you by a psychologist. What a hard thing to hear, and it's completely natural that this would stick with you and make you question reaching out in this way again. I do wonder whether they were a practitioner who specialised in trauma?
I'm glad that your gp has proven to be such a good support, but it is true that there are many issues with the mental system.
Good on you for continuing to reach out here, I hear how much strength it's taking right now and it's no small thing
18 Dec 2024 10:44 AM
18 Dec 2024 10:44 AM
@Ru-bee yes they are a highly specialised person but they chose to side with the person at that time that was hurting me. It really is taking every bit of strength at the moment to try to reach out and just being here is such a big deal for me with everything that's happening to me.
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