Only on company time

Thanks for the advice, comrade. Definitely going to look at buying as much food pre-cut as possible for now. We’re OK for now.

Thanks for the reply and for sharing your story in spite of how difficult it must have been to do so… This helps me more than I can express right now. I’m so glad to hear you and your family have been able to work through your situation.

I hear you (and others) about honesty and open communication. Maybe that’s the most important thing we need to move forward right now, maybe everything else, the lifelong work and care and all the other things we do and measures we take can flow out from that. You and others have given me a lot to think about. I may take you up on your offer at some point, that’s very gracious of you. Thanks for the encouragement and hugs, comrade.

Thanks for the suggestions. Definitely going to consider knifeless cooking for the time being. That may solve the issue I had with reconciling convenience of access… if there’s no need to access them, who cares if they’re in an inconvenient place?

Very true, thanks. I keep coming back to the phrase “necessary but insufficient” to describe these methods of securing the home. In the end, treatment and support are what we all really need, I think.

No, I don’t think of this as a long-term solution. More cooling off, and putting at least one layer of deterrence in between them and methods of self-harm. On its own it’s completely insufficient, and only viable as part of a more comprehensive safety plan and treatment strategy… at least in my opinion.

Good point about the key. Can you believe I hadn’t thought of that yet?

Medical team will be in on this. I suspect they’d insist measures like this be in place this before discharge anyway.

I think you’re correct on your last point… and Thordros made a similar point too. Right now I’m meditating on the contradiction between wanting to throw up as much deterrence as possible, and acknowledging that a determined enough person can get past any lock, given enough time and motivation. Which further highlights the insufficiency of these measures compared to proper treatment and a safety plan.

Thanks for the reply.

Thank you, and yes, I should have mentioned that a really solid safety plan is absolutely going to be part of our lives going forward. IMO… on paper I think that’s going to be more effective than any of these deterrence methods I’m asking about anyway. Thanks for mentioning it.

Keeping the knives in a locked box in a kitchen cabinet seems like a not-horrible option, so thanks for that.

That’s great advice about OTC meds, too, thanks. I can say we’re already aware but if anyone in a similar situation reading this isn’t… lock those up too!

I hope you’re doing OK now, and thanks for the kind words.

Thank you. I hadn’t yet considered keeping these things in a container I could take with me when I go out. I appreciate the advice on a hard pistol case, too. I think we’d run into issues with space constraints but it’s good advice all the same and I greatly appreciate it.

Thank you for making this point. I agree completely. I should clarify something… at this point, I don’t necessarily think they’re in that condition. I’m one of those “plan for the worst,” and “go fucking massive” types, hence the expressed desire for a very secure safe. You’re absolutely correct that a person willing to pick locks to obtain methods of self-harm isn’t safe to be at home. I just can’t help but think of these types of measures as a necessary, but insufficient on their own, method of protection.

thanks comrade, I should have been more clear though, this isn’t something dreadfully urgent. I think we have several days to a week prior to discharge. love ya for the thought, though.