On S-H

Alternatives to Self-Harm and Distraction Techniques
These are some ideas for helping people delay or avoid self-harm that you might wish to
consider – they’ve all been suggested by people who self-harm. Some ideas might seem
ridiculous, but others might work. Different people find that different things help, and it isn’t
failure if you try something and it doesn’t help. You will be able to add things which you have
discovered.
Expressing Feelings
Letting it out PHYSICALLY
• Scream as loud as you can
• HIT a cushion / punch bag / throw a cushion against a wall
• Smash a water melon
• Kick a football against a wall
• Squeeze ice really hard
• Squeeze a stress ball
• Tear up a newspaper/phone directory
• Play loud music and dance energetically – be as wild as you like
• Draw on the place you want to cut with red marker pen, fake blood or watered down food
colouring
• Write words on yourself with a red marker pen
• Spend some energy - go for a walk/swim/go to the gym/ride a bike/go running
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(Continues on following link-> http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/PDF/Self-Harm%20Distractions%20and%20Alternatives%20FINAL.pdf)