Alternatives to Self-Harm and Distraction Techniques These are some ideas for helping people delay or avoid self-harm that you might wish to consider – they’ve all been suggested by people who self-harm. Some ideas might seem ridiculous, but others might work. Different people find that different things help, and it isn’t failure if you try something and it doesn’t help. You will be able to add things which you have discovered. Expressing Feelings Letting it out PHYSICALLY • Scream as loud as you can • HIT a cushion / punch bag / throw a cushion against a wall • Smash a water melon • Kick a football against a wall • Squeeze ice really hard • Squeeze a stress ball • Tear up a newspaper/phone directory • Play loud music and dance energetically – be as wild as you like • Draw on the place you want to cut with red marker pen, fake blood or watered down food colouring • Write words on yourself with a red marker pen • Spend some energy - go for a walk/swim/go to the gym/ride a bike/go running Trying to work out how you’re feeling… • Ask yourself “Do I feel ANGRY?’ ‘Do I feel anxious?’ ‘What about?’ • Ask yourself ‘What would the razor blade say if it could talk to me?’ • Write a letter to someone you’re angry with (hurt by etc.) saying how you feel (No need to send it.) • Write a list of your achievements • Write a letter to yourself saying ‘I love YOU because….’ • Make a list of things you’re thankful for • Make a wish list Talking about it…. • Talk to a friend • Allow yourself to cry (if you can) Using your Creativity • Draw / paint / collage / paper mache / finger paint / sculpt in clay - to express what you Want to try these • Write a poem / story / song / joke / autobiography / parody / musical • Write a DIARY / journal or read old diaries (unless there might be triggers) • Go to myspace and write an online journal • Scribble a word again and again to say how you’re feeling e.g. ‘lonely’, ‘angry’ • Deface a magazine (preferably your own) • Paint with red paint using your fingers • Draw yourself in MS office • Write a message in a self-harm newsgroup on the internet • Take some photos • Play an instrument / Sing to music as LOUD as you can • Put on music which expresses how you are feeling • Write out the soundtrack to your life if it were a film • Imagine a colour which expresses your feelings then change it in your mind to another colour • Make a memory box / scrapbook • Write an alternative ending to a story • Watch a foreign language channel and make up your own interpretations • Create your own cartoon characters / legends • Create a SECRET CODE Comforting Yourself… • Have a bath or shower • Stay in bed • Use aromatherapy oils • Eat chocolate (or whatever) • Have an ‘emergency box’ with whatever helps you cope • Buy something special • Massage your hands / arms / feet (or the area you want to harm) • Stroke a pet / cuddle a teddy • Ask a friend to hold you • Paint your nails / Have your hair done • Have a cup of tea • Rock / hug yourself • Give yourself a henna tattoo • Meditate / yoga DISTRACTING yourself Leisure Activities • Watch television / video / DVD • Play on a computer • Go on the internet • Learn a new skill (juggling / making balloon animals) • Do puzzles / play chess / make your own puzzles • Origami / Scobidous / make jewellery • Sew / knit • Go through a photo album • Design a dream house • Have a debate • Build a card house • Make a paper chain of the days its been since you last cut (add a new one every day) • Find out how to put 8 queens on a chessboard without any of them being able to kill each other (There are 92 possible ways to do this) • Make a T-shirt • Look for pictures in the clouds GETTING OUT AND ABOUT…….. 1. Sweep the path 2. Wash your car 3. Do some gardening 4. Go for a drive 5. Go to an arcade or playground 6. Make a kite/fly a kite 7. Get on a train and go to the sea 8. Look at constellations Being Productive…….. . 1. Catch up on DIY / housework 2. Cook/bake something 3. Have a clear out – give your old stuff to charity 4. Re-arrange your room/decorate 5. Read/study 6. Give your pets a bath 7. Volunteer somewhere 8. Join a class 9. Think about what you’d like to change about your life and make a plan Reasoning with yourself ‘When you’re not feeling like self-harming, write a list of reasons to avoid self-harm. The list will be different for each person - it’s whatever makes sense to you. Look at the list when you feel like harming yourself. It could include things like: “I’ve managed for two weeks without harming. I don’t want to start again” “Once I start it’s difficult to stop” “I’ll regret the damage afterwards” “It doesn’t help in the long run. I can harm now but I’ll need to do it again in a couple of days.” “I don’t want to end up in hospital” “If I can hang on, The need to self-harm sometimes passes” “There may be consequences I don’t want e.g. brain damage, paralysis” “Self-harm affects my relationships” Making yourself safe • Try to identify things that prompt you to self-harm. If possible avoid them or prepare for them • Avoid shops that sell things you might use to harm yourself • Stay with a friend • Ask GP to give you weekly prescriptions or pick up medication for two days at a time from the chemist • Do not stockpile medication (prescribed or over the counter) Reducing stress • Do some relaxation exercises / listen to a relaxation tape • Ask a friend to look after the children for a few hours • Reduce your commitments in the next few days Rewarding yourself for not self-harming • Keep a chart – add a star for each day / hour you have not self-harmed • If you do self-harm, just leave a space and start again Delaying self-harm • Keep things you harm yourself with in a locked cupboard or in a box with sticky tape around it. It gives you time to think between wanting to self-harm and doing it. • Use any of the suggestions for avoiding self-harm to try and delay it for a while
Posted on: Fri, 12 Jul 2013 03:43:21 +0000
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