Topic Tuesday // How to build a safety plan with a loved one // 24 Oct. 7pm AEDT

[NikNik]

Does anyone have a loved one who has a safety plan?

If so, how did you approach the conversation about the safety plan? Was it your idea... their idea???

[Shaz51]

a space for medications/dose/allergies? I agree @NikNik , @KF1969 as are they taking their meds / or decreased their meds

also a space for food and drink , / have they eaten today / have they had enough water etc

[NikNik]

Oh I like that @Shaz51 - A bit of a check list ie: Have you had something to eat to day etc

[Former-Member]

@Shaz51I do like that idea, it is something that is forgotten when those thoughts are going through your head

[Former-Member]

Yes Mr Darcy has a safety plan as well as a relapse prevention plan. His new case worker organised this, however I started him on a mood chart as soon as bipolar ii was tendered as a diagnosis and this chart is pivotal to both monitoring for relapse prevention but also helps in relation to med monitoring (particularly useful when coming off or changing meds or doses)

[NikNik]

I thought I would also share this other framework:

A more holistic approach to planning is WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) -  which is a plan not  just for times when the person is feeling suicidal, but is a recovery plan.

It that covers:

Wellness tool box

Daily Maintenance Plan to stay well

Identifying triggers

Identifying early warning signs

Identifying ‘when things are breaking down’ and are getting worse

Crisis planning

Post crisis planning (which I think is really important and isn’t covered in most plans!)

 Watch the clip below for more info

 Has anyone heard of this one?

[Misty2]

He does usually, but I am noticing a few things not quite right at the moment and he gets very irritated if I suggest him speaking to a counsellor or his doctor.  

[Former-Member]

I think Mr D's plan is based on WRAP - but I don't think had post crisis planning (which I think is a bit of an unknown factor).

@NikNik
Do you think there is a difference to how plan should look with various diagnoses ie BP vs Sz vs PTSD etc

[Shaz51]

@Misty2, does he talk to his doctor when you suggest this

My husband has no MI team, when I notice  a few things not quite right at the moment and he gets very irritated , anxious, flustered I go through the checklist like food ,

making a rest day available like today and he was annoyed with me but then he ended up sleeping for 6 hours today @NikNik wow

[NikNik]

@Former-Member
I think the plans should be different person to person and created by the individual - so I'm not sure if they would look the same across diagnosis or just different person to person... if that makes sense.