Self-Injury Support Group

Whether you or someone you know or love struggles with self-injury, this is the community to discuss your experience, find support, meet others going through the same, and get advice on how to stop. Working together, we can help find alternative coping skills to reduce the urge to self-harm.

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Positive Distractions that Have Worked for You?

Ellocin
Ellocin
Hi...
I'm having a really hard time tonight with urges but have decided to try to do something positive about it. I promised a friend I wouldn't do anything if she didn't do anything tonight so all that leaves me with to try is something positive.

So what i'm asking...is do any of you have any positive distractions or things that work for you when you feel urges to SI or if you are feeling suicidal?

Anything as long as it is positive and not harmful would be appreciated. I don't know what else to do and need to figure out something soon.

Thanks.
Ellocin
Ellocin
anyone, please? I NEED HELP
deleted_user
deleted_user
1) Listen to good music (upbeat positive music)
2) Watch a funny comedy show (Frasier, Friends, Will & Grace, etc). I have seasons on DVD so that way I can pop in a DVD and have a couple of hours of stuff
3) Go for a walk or work out
4) Take some really slow, deep breaths

That's what I do that helps. Take care.
Ellocin
Ellocin
thanks pianoplayer....any suggestions for upbeat positive music?

2 & 3 i am not able to do at the moment

but 1 & 4 I will try...thank you
deleted_user
deleted_user
write out how you are feeling and the things that are going on in your head, but dont just write them out like normal, get a notebook that it doesnt mtter what happen or an old bit of paper and press the pen down REALLY hard while your writing - it helps get rid of some of the tension, and at the end shred the bit of paper into tiny tiny pieces and throw it out (I was told to burn it, and that might work for some, but I felt the temptation around the lighter or match so I shred it into tiny pieces instead) If you arent asthmatic, another good thing to do is to blow up a balloon 5 or 6 times, and let it down again. Something to do in an emergency as it a) controls your breathing which relaxes you, b) gives you something to really force the emotion out through your breath, and c) distracts you for a few minutes so you can refocus.

These are things that arent usuaally done, but seem to work for me sometimes. And they are things you can do anywhere so long as you have a balloon and a bit of scrappy paper lol.