How can I cope with the urge to self-harm during times of crisis?

Sometimes situations arise that cause intense distress and can lead to a crisis. If you can't cope with this intense distress, you may behave impulsively. If you act impulsively, you may end up hurting yourself or doing something you didn't intend to do.

To cope with these moments of distress and avoid the urge to self-harm, two effective strategies are: learning to distract your mind and changing the intensity of the emotion . Below are some examples of activities you can do in each case.

Learn to distract yourself

In the process of stopping self-harm, you may still have urges to do it. This is normal. For this reason, it's important to have some answers to the question: What do I do? One helpful strategy is distraction. Try to distract yourself or find something to do that is incompatible with self-harm .

This technique only helps to deal with the urgency, but it will not solve any of the problems that have led you to the desire to self-harm.

For most people, the urge to self-harm lasts only a few minutes. If you manage to resist, the urge will lessen. You can make a list of things that can help distract you. Some of these might be things that keep your mind occupied, others that involve intense sensations, or activities that keep you busy. It's important to know that this technique only helps you cope with the urge ; it won't resolve any of the underlying issues that led to the desire to self-harm. You'll need to address those other issues, or the urge will return.

Here are some examples:

Occupy your mind

• Countdown. It starts at 119 and counts down by 7 each time until it reaches 0.
• Play a game on your mobile phone.
• Play the video game console.
• Count people wearing glasses on the street.
• Read.

Why do you hurt yourself? An introduction to self-harm

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Do an activity you enjoy.

• Dance.
• Take a walk in a pleasant place.
• Watch a movie or a TV series.
• Meet up with someone.
• Kitchen.
• Call someone.
• Play an instrument or sing.
• Download music.
• Clean your room.

Creates intense or pleasant sensations

• Pick up an ice cube with your hands.
• Eat a lemon.
• Eat a clove of garlic.
• It smells like an onion.
• Take a hot or cold bath.
• Light a scented candle.
• Pet your pet.
• Listen to relaxing music.
• Make yourself some hot chocolate.
• Treat yourself.
• Jump 20 times in a row.

Do something for someone

• Help a classmate or coworker with a task.
• Give away things you don't need.
• Surprise someone with a gift.
• Do someone a favor.
• Do volunteer work.

Change the intensity of the emotion

Sometimes you will have to face difficult situations where emotional arousal can be high. In these situations, this heightened emotional state can cause you to behave impulsively, because:

• Your emotions completely overwhelm you, and you can't see beyond them.
• Your brain is not processing information properly.
• You are emotionally overwhelmed.

The only thing you should try to do in these situations is reduce the intensity of the emotion . This will buy you time and help you get out of a state that we can consider risky, as it brings you closer to self-harm. You can use these three techniques when your emotional arousal is very high:

Slow breathing

• Slow down your breathing rate (to about 5-7 breaths per minute).
• Breathe deeply from your abdomen.
• Breathe more slowly than you usually do.

For example:

• Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds (you can count it mentally or with a clock).
• Hold your breath for 1 second.
• Let the air out slowly for 6 seconds (no more, no less).
• Hold for 1 second and start again.

Do this for 5 minutes. This will reduce your arousal, which is the goal you should have right now.

Intense exercise

Intense exercise helps calm the body when it's activated by emotion. It involves intense aerobic exercise , but only for a short period (20-30 minutes). You'll relax and your body will build up physical energy. Some examples of these activities include:

• Run.
• Walk fast.
• Hop.
• Play basketball.
• Do abdominal exercises.
• Lifting weights.
• Put on some music and dance.

Do it intensely, but not excessively. If you have any physical problems, it's best not to do these activities without consulting a professional first.

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Temperature change

To quickly cool down, place your face under cold water . You can do this in the bathroom sink or by placing a bowl of cold water on the table; kneel down until your face is submerged. Other options include using a cold water bottle (like a Ziploc bag) or simply splashing water on your face. The water should make contact with your eyes and cheeks. Do this for about 30 seconds.

Caution: Cold water can rapidly lower your heart rate, and intense exercise can rapidly raise it. If you have heart problems, low blood pressure, are taking any medication (especially beta-blockers), or have an eating disorder, consult your doctor before using these techniques. Also avoid them if you have a cold allergy.