Distractions.

Please Add Distractions You Find Helpful.

- Exercise
- Ripping up paper into small pieces
- Punching a punch bag
- Having a pillow fight with the wall
- Shouting and screaming (best to do when alone!)
- Dancing
- Going to the gym
- Swimming
- Yoga, Ta Chi,
- Writing poetry, a journal, letters, stories etc.
- Playing a musical instrument
- Singing
- Cuddling a soft toy, pillow
- Allow yourself to cry
- Sleep
- Shower or bath
- Playing with a pet
- Drawing on yourself in red marker
- Putting on fake tattoos, henna tattoos
- Snapping an elastic band on your wrist
- Putting plasters or bandages where you want to harm
- Mix warm water and red food colouring and put it on your skin
- Chew leather
- Squeezing ice cubes
- Make ice cubes with added red food colouring, rub them on the area you want to harm
- Use stage make-up to create fake injuries.
- Use skin coloured plasticine, smear it on your skin, cut into the plasticine (carefully) pour fake blood or food
colouring into the fake cut.
- Draw yourself or around your arm on a piece of paper, draw the harm you are imagining then destroy the picture.

Emma mentioned that writing letters help. I just wanted to expand on that topic. What I do when I'm upset or feel like i'm about to break down is I write a letter to the person who has caused be harm or who has stressed me out, telling them exacley how I feel. Once I feel as if I have poured all my thoughts on the paper, I throw it out, Rip it or if it's on the computer, I delete it. It has helped me a lot, but if you just do not like writing all i can say it express your feeings by doing something you love that is healthy for you. You will be suprised how much it can distract you. ~Chrissy