Post by butter on Jun 24, 2006 17:33:41 GMT -5
People who self-harm are sometimes trying to avoid painful feelings. It may help you to try to work out what feelings you experience that cause you distress. You could do this by writing your feelings down in a journal/diary or anywhere else.
Here are some things you could do when you feel like self-harming:
Leave the house
Put on loud music
Ring a friend and talk about something else
Draw
Write a story or some poetry
When you feel like cutting or hurting yourself you could:
Snap a rubber band on your wrist
Paint yourself with red paint
Draw on yourself with a red tipped pen or lipstick
Draw on the areas you want to cut with ice you have made by putting a few drops of red food colour into the tray
Break sticks
Hit a punching bag or pillow
Take a very cold bath
Flatten some cans
Hold ice in your hand until it hurts
Rip up an old newspaper or magazine
Go for a walk, run or to the gym
When you feel depressed or sad you could:
Get a funny video
Curl up on the couch with a hot chocolate and a book
Take a relaxing bath
Talk to a friend
Light some incense or candles
When you feel like you are out of your body you could:
Slowly drink a very cold glass of water
Bite on something strongly flacoured like chilli or lemon
Splash your face with very cold water
Take a cold shower
Stomp your feet on the ground
Squeeze ice until it hurts
Rub some eucalyptus oil under your nose
Here are some more ideas you could try:
Massage your feet
Read
Play chess
Count to 10
Yoga or meditation
Listen to relaxing music
Lift weights
Ask the hairdresser or a friend to massage your scalp
Do a jigsaw puzzle
Do a crossword puzzle
Watch a video or DVD
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When you feel like self-harming go to a place where you feel safe. The safer you feel, the less likely you are to harm youself.
Possible Safe Places:
Your home
The movies
At the shops
The park
In your car
In a cafe
At a friends home
Community centre
Anywhere else you can think of
Think of anybody who you feel safe to be with. Maybe you could talk to this person or even stay with them for a while. Have a list of safe people you could contact readily available, for when you may need them.
Possible Safe People:
A parent
A boyfriend
A girlfriend
A brother
A sister
A friend
A neighbour
A priest, pastor, nun or spiritual teacher
A self-help group/ support group
A helpline
A teacher
A school councillor
Someone at work
A pet
Someone else you can think of
You have now identified where you feel safe and who you feel safe with. Next time you consider harming youself, consider spending time in your safe place and being with someone you feel safe with.
----------------------------------------------------
Care After Self-Harm
If self-harm has become a part of your life and you're not ready to stop, it is important that you:
Keep yourself safe
Take control of your self-harm and don't let it control you
Use basic first aid and look after yourself
If you are cutting yourself, use something clean and sterile
Never share cutting tools with anyone else
----------------------------------------------------
Here are some things you could do when you feel like self-harming:
Leave the house
Put on loud music
Ring a friend and talk about something else
Draw
Write a story or some poetry
When you feel like cutting or hurting yourself you could:
Snap a rubber band on your wrist
Paint yourself with red paint
Draw on yourself with a red tipped pen or lipstick
Draw on the areas you want to cut with ice you have made by putting a few drops of red food colour into the tray
Break sticks
Hit a punching bag or pillow
Take a very cold bath
Flatten some cans
Hold ice in your hand until it hurts
Rip up an old newspaper or magazine
Go for a walk, run or to the gym
When you feel depressed or sad you could:
Get a funny video
Curl up on the couch with a hot chocolate and a book
Take a relaxing bath
Talk to a friend
Light some incense or candles
When you feel like you are out of your body you could:
Slowly drink a very cold glass of water
Bite on something strongly flacoured like chilli or lemon
Splash your face with very cold water
Take a cold shower
Stomp your feet on the ground
Squeeze ice until it hurts
Rub some eucalyptus oil under your nose
Here are some more ideas you could try:
Massage your feet
Read
Play chess
Count to 10
Yoga or meditation
Listen to relaxing music
Lift weights
Ask the hairdresser or a friend to massage your scalp
Do a jigsaw puzzle
Do a crossword puzzle
Watch a video or DVD
----------------------------------------------------
When you feel like self-harming go to a place where you feel safe. The safer you feel, the less likely you are to harm youself.
Possible Safe Places:
Your home
The movies
At the shops
The park
In your car
In a cafe
At a friends home
Community centre
Anywhere else you can think of
Think of anybody who you feel safe to be with. Maybe you could talk to this person or even stay with them for a while. Have a list of safe people you could contact readily available, for when you may need them.
Possible Safe People:
A parent
A boyfriend
A girlfriend
A brother
A sister
A friend
A neighbour
A priest, pastor, nun or spiritual teacher
A self-help group/ support group
A helpline
A teacher
A school councillor
Someone at work
A pet
Someone else you can think of
You have now identified where you feel safe and who you feel safe with. Next time you consider harming youself, consider spending time in your safe place and being with someone you feel safe with.
----------------------------------------------------
Care After Self-Harm
If self-harm has become a part of your life and you're not ready to stop, it is important that you:
Keep yourself safe
Take control of your self-harm and don't let it control you
Use basic first aid and look after yourself
If you are cutting yourself, use something clean and sterile
Never share cutting tools with anyone else
----------------------------------------------------