Tried and Tested SH distraction techniques

[Hullaballo]

For a few weeks I have been trying out various suggested distractions and thought it'd be helpful to share. Bear in mind that each person find different ways of coping and things that are helpful to some are not to others.

Cold Shower: 6.5/10.  
Good for: Derealisation, feeling unsafe or panicky or suicidal.
 Well I certainly didn't want to self harm after this! You're too busy trying to get warm to think about SH. The bad points are that the cold water makes scars more prominent for a short while, depending on how you feel about scars then this could be something to avoid. I think a cold shower is best used if you feel you are really in danger of self harming or are panicking. (If anybody suffers from derealisation or panic attacks then this technique can help bring you back to reality). However, if you don't feel too bad but still want a distraction, then the same affect can be achieved by putting ice or frozen peas on the area you want to harm, and can help soothe bruising or burns.

Drawing pictures of how you want to harm: 7.5/10.
Good for: Anxiety, low self esteem, self nurture.
I am surprized at how well this works actually. It can be very calming and theraputic and can help you regain focus and calm you down. Another thing is to find a poem or song that you like and draw an illustration to it. Sounds daft, but it is helpful. The only thing I would say is that it is not that helpful in desperate situations. And to be honest, it is best to keep them somewhere private and away from other people. Family and friends could get the wrong idea about them and potentially find them disturbing.

Elastic bands: 4/10.
Good for: Anger, derealisation.
To be honest I didn't find this one too effective; if you self harm severely/deeply then this doesn't really satisfy the need to SH. However, it is handy just to have an elastic band on your wrist for immediate relief. People won't really ask questions about it whereas with some other techniques it may draw people's attention. This is good for when you are away from home and no other distractions are avaliable, e.g, ice, music etc.

Going on the Internet: 5.5/10.
Good for: Self nurture.
This is always fun, again it isn't very useful in desperate situations in which you need immediate distraction. I don't know about you, but when I am on the Internet and feeling low or the need to SH, I sometimes end up looking or reading things that I know are triggers. Here's a nice thing to do in the long run though: Look for something online that you'd like to purchase, and set yourself a difficult target (e.g. Don't self harm for a week). When you complete that target, you can treat yourself to the thing you want to buy.

Making a box of treats: 4/10.
Good for Self nurture, low self esteem, disasociation.
Hmm... Personally, I didn't like this one, but please remember that coping techniques can vary in effectiveness between different people. I would seriously reccomend that you avoid this is you have any issues with weight or eating, especially if you purge. It'll only make you feel worse. If you don't have these issues but just are feeling unloved or upset, this could be nice in the evening with a good book or something. Baking food can sometimes be a fun distraction, especially if you include family/friends.

Drawing wounds on yourself: 7/10.  :oo:
Good for: Anger, stress, panic.
I quite like this one. For me, SH can sometimes be more about the severity of the wound rather than the pain. If this is relevant to you then try this. Obviously it is difficult to make a realistic looking injury on your skin, but worth a go. What I find more useful is putting tight bandages on my arms (or wherever you self harm) even if I have no recent wounds. This covers up injuries/scars and stops you getting to your arms/legs. As well as this, it gives the impression that you have harmed. This could be a bad thing though and draw attention. If somebody you trust asks simply explain. If your parent/guardian/friends are supportive, they can help you with the dressings and bandages. bear in mind that some people may find this upsetting.

Making a thought diary: 8/10.
Good for: A wide variety of things.
This is really helpful to just jot down what you feel. I know sometimes this can feel a bit embarrassing but if so, then just tear the paper up and throw it away (good for anger/frustration). It can help gain some insight into yourself and, if you feel confident enough, if may be worth showing a little bit to your councillor/psychyatrist. It can help them understand what is going on without having to tell it to their face. If you have any past diary, avoid reading it if it includes lots of thoughts and feelings that can be triggers. If you have nightmares, keep a folder of yout dreams and try to work out why you had them etc. I have gained a lot of insight this way as well as found an intrest.

Contacting NSHN or any other helpline: 7.5/10.
Good for: A wide variety of things.
Calling somebody can be helpful if you feel desperate and in danger. If you feel a bit embarrassed or worried about calling, then I'd reccomend using email, which can be easier than saying stuff out right. Numbers will come up on your history so if possible try to use this sparingly and only if you feel you really need to talk to somebody. Still, this can be very supportive and more effective than trying to do it on your own in times of need.

Listening to/playing music: 9/10.  
Good for: A wide variety of things.
This is my number one, always. Playing music helps especially, as you can really just let yourself go and express how you are feeling. Maybe you could learn one of your favourite songs. This will give you a real sense of achievement when you have learnt it. Even if you don't think you're very good, just give it a try, you can be surprised at how just relaxing and playing music with no particular aim can help you. Listening to music is also good; if you're low then listening to sad music can really help. Be careful though, because some lyrics can easilly be triggering. Uplifting songs are often better than depressive ones, even if you are very low. Songs and artists I'd reccomend that are expressive and/or uplifting are: My c******l Romance (Welcome to the Black Parade, It's Not a Fashion Statement, Kids From Yesterday, Skylines and Turnstiles); Muse (Muscle Muesum, Falling Away With You, Blackout, Resistance); Radiohead (Creep, Street Spirit, Fake Plastic Trees); Nine Inch Nails (Hurt, Only); Evanescence (My Immortal, Hello, Tourniquet); REM (At My Most Beautiful, Everybody Hurts).
But just basically whatever music expresses how you feel, in my opinion these ones can be helpful but whatever you like and enjoy to listen to.

I hope that these have been helpful to you, but please remember that even if I liked/disliked these techniques, the results are likely to be different for you.

word 'distraction' added to title..

[Broken Wings]

Thank you so much stumbled across your post but must have been fate been distracting a lot today and your post has just added to my distract list,thx hun hugs a mill xx

[mh123]

thank you.i think i'm going to try a mood diary.whenever i go to the gp about depression/medication review i try to write down how ive been feeling as i can't say it very often and will just say 'yeah im fine!' when really im not.the other day i felt much better after a cool (not cold!!) shower.felt more human with clean hair for some reason