[kitty004567]

I posted this in the other mental heath forum but I know this forum is a lot more active so I decided to post it again and I also realized there might be things that are specific to having bipolar disorder.

I have a safety plan and I was wondering if anyone else does and what yours consists of. Some of the things I do are:

Not take a bath when I'm down
I don't buy straight razor blades or allow them in my house
I don't keep an excess of medication
My medication used to stay locked up and I didn't have a key (when things were worse)
If I'm not feeling well my gun goes to my mother's house (Mom's rule)
I pet my dogs
I have the crisis line for the local hospital posted on the fridge
When I bought my house I deliberately bought one that's less than a 5 min drive from my mom's, my dad's, and 2 friends (who know about the bipolar disorder)
If I'm not feeling well I call someone
I see my T regularly
I see my Pdoc regularly
I try very hard not to lie to my T
I have a small toiletries bag that stays packed along with a list of other things I would want should I need to be hospitalized

I was thinking about my safety plan (a friend suggested I take a bath today since I'm kinda upset and I told him that wasn't ok based on my safety plan). I was wondering what you do. Maybe someone else has something they do that might be helpful so I thought I'd share and ask.

[Br0k3nW1ng3d]

That is a really decent safety plan.. It has inspired me to make a safety contract with my spouse for the future. Thanks!

[kitty004567]

Br0k3nW1ng3d, I'm so glad you've decided to come up with a safety contract with your spouse :-) Anything we can do to help each other stay safe! If you feel up to it please share the details, maybe there's something you've thought of that I've forgotten.

Oh and I realized I said I have a small toiletries bag and list for packing for hospitalization (it's mostly because the first time I was hospitalized I didn't know what to take and was whisked away by the cops leaving my boyfriend to pack for me. No toothbrush and no underwear and of course I started my period while I was there). The list is so if I need to commit myself again I feel confident that I won't end up begging for a day pass and a ride to go buy new underwear and pads. It's one less thing keeping me from seeking help if and when I need it.

i've not even thought about a safety plan before- mainly because if i plan something or make a list, i usually don't stick to it anyway.
but i should..

I wish I could make one.

[kitty004567]

Mine started with just one or two things and slowly expanded. Mostly it started with I will tell someone if I feel I'm in danger and keeping my pills locked up.

just the thought of a contract right now is stressful

[needy89]

I am really glad you posted this. I do have a safety plan. I live with my parents, my bipolar is too severe to live on my own right now. but here is what we do:
all medication is locked up
mom fixes my medication for a week (if its a bad week, she give it to me daily)
if I am having a bad day, I am not left alone (even if mom has errands to do)
I am now able to rate my stress/anxiety levels on a scale 0 to 10, if it goes above 3, I
sit down and write out the stress, mark the ones I can change or handle, then I
I take the list to mom and dad and they help me talk out the other, they make
suggestions or recommend how to handle them
When I am having a bad day, mom will lay in the bed with me and watch tv, if I want
to talk she will listen, if I don't want to talk thats fine too, if I want to cry, then
I cry too
If I feel like I can't take what's going on, I go to mom and we go to the hospital.
At my therapy sessions, if there are concerns, we bring my mom in so we can talk
about it, so she knows what to watch for.

These are perfect, but it helps me and it helps my mom and dad (my support group) out a lot.

[Anneinside]

Kitty, I never take baths either because I used to self-harm and did it while bathing. I wondered why you don't take baths as part of your safety plan.

I don't have a safety plan, but I should have one. There are some things I do though. I never buy pant/pjs that have ties instead of elastic waists (not allowed in ward), the next journal I buy will not have a spiral binding, only a regular bound hard back journal (spiral wasn't allowed the last time I was admitted) I keep $30 in a jar all the time to pay for a taxi to go to and from the hospital, I keep a laminated list of my important phone numbers in my wallet as you aren't allowed to keep your phone at my hospital I do things like that... I would like more ideas of what to include on a safety plan.

[Cocosurviving]

Hi,
Great post. I do have a safety plan.
I have names/numbers of my support team. I have a medic alert bracelet that I never take off. My plan has a list of ppl I can spend a few days w/ if I'm just needing a change of scenery. My plan list what hospital I'm to go to. What procedures I do not want (ECT). So far I've never been admitted and did get good ideas from other posters.

[Ad Intra]

Thanks for this. I made one with my old-T a year ago, but forgot it.

[~Christina]

I hope the OP is doing well. I like seeing the old threads brought back to life.

My safety plan is my kids.