distress, intrusive thoughts and work worries

Hi @rebeccagiraffe, 

Welcome to the forums, and I’m really glad you reached out. It sounds like you’re carrying a lot right now. Intrusive thoughts can feel really distressing, especially when you’ve experienced them before and are worried about things escalating again.

Some people find it helpful to gently ground themselves by noticing 5 things they can see, 4 they can feel, 3 they can hear, 2 they can smell, and 1 they can taste. Others find holding something cold, slowing their breathing, or having a soft light or calming audio on in the background can help bring the nervous system down a little.

If it feels possible, is there anything that has helped you through hard moments in the past that you could try again?

Because you mentioned urges to hurt yourself and feeling scared, please consider reaching out for extra support if you need it. You can call Lifeline (13 11 14), or your local crisis service can be there with you. If you feel unable to stay safe, please call emergency services.

We have also emailed you. If you’re able, could you please reply and let us know if you’re safe.

We’re here with you, one moment at a time ~ Nala2022

Hi Nala,

the grounding exercises are hard to do in the moment but I am safe. I went on a walk this morning with a friend and that really helped being in nature. 

last night I did the ice cube stuff because it helped distract me and I took my medication to help sleep. I slept through the night which was helpful and something that has been messy recently. I have been listening to Noah kahan to help relax more. Things that have helped in the past is the ice cube and a spikey ring. 

usually I call lifeline, qlife or beyond blue. 

thanks for your response 

Hi @rebeccagiraffe, Thank you for checking in and letting us know how you’re going. I’m really glad to hear you’re safe.

It sounds like you’ve been doing a lot to support yourself through a hard moment. That’s a lot of effort, even if it doesn’t always feel like it.

I’m also really glad you were able to sleep through the night, especially when sleep has been messy lately. Sometimes even one better night can make things feel a little more manageable.

It’s great that you already know some things that have helped before, like the spikey ring and reaching out to supports such as Lifeline, QLife, or Beyond Blue. Having those options in your toolkit can be really valuable.

Please keep being gentle with yourself today, you’re doing your best, and that matters 💮