| Alternatives to Unhealthy Behaviours |
| * Sing * Scream at siblings * Play a CD * Drive while playing a CD * Paint, SING, DANCE do anything creative! * Dance and sing to extra cheesy songs from Dirty Dancing, Grease * Chat on IM to b/friend * Have a long, hot extremely bubbly bath * Go for a walk. * Go down to the beach and watch the water * Play saxophone really loudly * Go and visit mum at work * Take stereo up to the bathroom and have a long bath with favourite choones * Watch a goodtime chic flick * Phone somebody like the Samaritans * Play FreeCell! * SHOP!!! * Crossword puzzles..... * Go for a long walk through the canyon * Smashing bottles into a bottle bank * Playing LOUD music * lighting a few candles and playing soft music * Go to the fishbowl * washing hair and putting on favourite outfit * Recognise and acknowledge the choices you have NOW * Carry tokens to remind you of peaceful comforting things/people * Create and use mental safe places (beach, cabin in the woods, peaceful mountain) * Get out on your own, get away from the stress *Help someone around you (reach out on a bulletin board, newsgroup, phone list etc.) * Pay attention to the changes needed to make you feel safe * "I'm aware" Repeat five things you see, smell, touch, taste in your present surroundings to help ground you in the present * Pay attention to your breathing (breath slowly, in through your nose and out through your mouth) * ASK FOR HELP * Ask yourself inside, what YOU need * Journal * Touch something familiar/safe * Make a phone list of people you can call for support. Allow yourself to use it * Learn HALT signals (hungry, angry, lonely, tired) * Identify what is causing you pain * Accept where you are in the process. Beating yourself up, only makes it worse. * Take a break from mental processing, "you're thinking too much!" * Tear up paper (old phonebooks, newspapers, etc.) * Throw ice cubes at the bathtub wall, at a tree, etc. * Give yourself permission to.... (Keep it safe) * Lose the "should-could-have to" words. Try... "What if" * Put memories in air tight containers with air tight lids * Connect with others around you. Call a therapist or friend. * Notice "choices" versus "dilemmas" * Keep in touch with others who are fighting the same fight * Check in with yourself and others frequently (try not to isolate) * Take a bath or a shower * Write a poem * Leave the room * Leave the premises * Write a letter, NOT mailed, to the person or problem upsetting you * Play a musical instrument * Plan regular activities for your most difficult time of day * Call a hotline or support group * Listen to a comedy tape or video * Reality check old messages (Those you supply and those you hear others tell you) * Pull weeds in a garden * Hugging pillows * Listening to that song that makes you cry. * Make up the most unrealistic future possible in your mind- jetpacks, whatever. * Take a lot of time to add details. It passes time =) * Write a rambling e-mail to someone who you know won't freak out easily. * Read some quotes. I find some quite inspiring. * Hold ice against your wrists, our wherever you were planning to injure, till it hurts. * Admit defeat. Go to bed. You'll almost certainly feel better when you get up. * Keep a diary of stars for days of staying safe. * Do physical exercise. Jogging, cart wheeling, walking the dog/fish etc. * Snap an elastic band on your wrist. |
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| Learning to stop unhealthy behaviours can be hard at any time, but sometimes having a list of alternatives can help. |
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