I can't handle this anymore....take me away
* Splash water on your face. This will help alter you concentration, attention, and physical senstions
* Take a bath or shower. "Immersing yourself in either warm or cold water will change your body's temperature, thus changing your physical sensations."
* Make you whole body as tense as you can. When you release this tension, your body will feel more relaxed.
* Change the temperature of your environment. It can be either really warm or really cold. Creating such a drastic change will alter how you feel on a physical level and can also help reduce or eliminate dissociation.
SI substitutes These methods may be helpful to you if you are not ready to change your self-injurious behaviors and/or simply "need a break from hurting yourself." These techniques seem to be effective in reducing self-injury, at least temporarily.
* Color you body to resemble what would have happened if you did hurt yourself. For example, draw red lines on yourself instead of cutting. But make sure to use nontoxic art supplies for this method.
* Hold an ice cube in your hand. The pain from the ice will resemble the pain from self-injury. But the result will not be as harmful or dangerous to your body.
* Plunge your arm into a bucket of ice water. The shock of the cold and the pain from this will resemble the pain from SI.
* Play an audiotape or videotape of yourself that you have recorded previously. In this tape, state all the reasons why you like yourself and why you should not hurt yourself. This will raise your self-awareness and may make you feel loved.
* Call, write, or visit a friend, family member, significant other, or therapist.
These are only a few idea of what you can do. Further on, I have a list of 'distractions.' Or you can
1. Write a poem.
2. Listen to soothing or music.
3. Talk with somebody close to you.
4. Write a story.
5. Pray.
6. Call a friend.
7. Snap your wrist with a rubber band.
8. Sew.
9. Take a nap.
10. Leave the room or the house.
11. Read a good book.
12. Work in the garden.
13. Do arts and crafts.
14. Watch television.
15. Cook a meal.
16. Call a hotline or support group, or post on a message board.
17. Use washable, non-toxic markers to "cut" your skin.
18. Let yourself cry.
19. Dance.
20. Draw.
21. Excercise or work out in some way.
22. Get a massage.
23. Hug someone.
24. Help someone.
25. Paint something.
26. Play a musical instrument.
27. Write a letter to the person or problem that is upsetting you, but don't mail it.
28. Run around the block.
29. Scream at the top of your lungs.
30. See a friend.
31. Do some sculpting.
32. Go shopping.
33. Shout.
34. Sing.
35. Go skating.
36. Take a bath.
37. Take a sauna.
38. Throw things (such as icecubes or your pillow, NOT something like glass).
39. Vent about what you are upset about.
40. Take a walk.
41. Watch a movie.
42. Go window shopping.
43. Do yoga.
44. Hit a punching bag.
45. Clean your room or the house.
46. Cuddle with someone.
47. Go cycling.
48. Diving.
49. Go for a drive.
50. Play a game or color in a coloring book.
51. Go swimming.
52. Play the piano.
53. Shred a phonebook or a newspaper into a thousand pieces.
54. Write a song.
55. Fighting.
56. Make or work on a website.
57. Take a long shower.
58. Meditate.