YOU'RE NOT ALONE

Alternatives for when you're feeling angry or restless

Scribble on photos of people in magazines Viciously stab an orange Throw an apple/pair of socks against the wall Have a pillow fight with the wall Scream very loudly Tear apart newspapers, photos, or magazines Go to the gym, dance, exercise Listen to music and sing along loudly Draw a picture of what is making you angry Beat up a stuffed bear Pop bubble wrap Pop balloons Splatter paint Scribble on a piece of paper until the whole page is black Filling a piece of paper with drawing cross hatches Throw darts at a dartboard Go for a run Write your feelings on paper then rip it up Use stress relievers Build a fort of pillows and then destroy it Throw ice cubes at the bathtub wall, at a tree, etc. Get out a fine-tooth comb and vigorously brush the fur of a stuffed animal (but use gentle vigor) Slash an empty plastic soda bottle or a piece of heavy cardboard or an old shirt or sock Make a soft cloth doll to represent the things you are angry at; cut and tear it instead of yourself Flatten aluminum cans for recycling, seeing how fast you can go On a sketch or photo of yourself, mark in red ink what you want to do. Cut and tear the picture Break sticks Cut up fruits Make yourself as comfortable as possible Stomp around in heavy shoes Play handball or tennis Yell at what you are breaking and tell it why you are angry, hurt, upset, etc. Buy a cheap plate and decorate it with markers, stickers, cut outs from magazines, words, images, whatever that expresses your pain and sadness and when you're done, smash it. (Please be careful when doing this) The Calm Jar (Fill a mason jar or similar with colored water and glitter. When feeling upset or angry you can shake it to disturb the glitter and focus on that until the glitter settles.) Blow up a balloon and pop it

Alternatives that will give you a sensation (other than pain) without harming yourself:

Hold ice in your hands, against your arm, or in your mouth Run your hands under freezing cold water Snap a rubber band or hair band against your wrist Clap your hands until it stings Wax your legs Drink freezing cold water Splash your face with cold water Put PVA/Elmer's glue on your hands then peel it off Massage where you want to hurt yourself Take a hot shower/bath Jump up and down to get some sensation in your feet Write or paint on yourself Arm wrestle with a member of your family Take a cold bath Bite into a hot pepper or chew a piece of ginger root Put tiger balm on the places you want to cut. (Tiger balm is a muscle relaxant cream that induces a tingly sensation. You can find it in most health food stores and vitamin stores.)

Alternatives that will distract you or take up time:

Say "I'll self-harm in fifteen minutes if I still want to" and keep going for periods of fifteen minutes until the urge fadesColor your hairCount up to ten getting louder until you are screamingSing on the karaoke machineComplete something you've been putting offTake up a new hobbyMake a cup of teaTell and laugh at jokesPlay solitaireCount up to 500 or 1000Surf the netMake as many words out of your full name as possibleCount ceiling tiles or lightsSearch ridiculous things on the webColor coordinate your wardrobe