• Rip up an old newspaper or phone book.
• On a sketch or photo of yourself, mark in
red ink what you want to do. Cut and tear
the picture.
• Make clay models and cut or smash them.
• Throw ice into the bathtub or against a
brick wall hard enough to shatter it.
• Dance.
• Clean.
• Exercise.
• Bang pots and pans.
• Stomp around in heavy shoes.
• Play handball or tennis.
Feeling sad or depressed:
• Do something slow and soothing.
• Take a hot bath with bath oil or bubbles.
• Curl up under a comforter with hot cocoa
and a good book.
• Baby yourself somehow.
• Give yourself a present.
• Hug a loved one or stued animal.
• Play with a pet.
• Make a list of things that make you happy.
• Do something nice for someone else.
• Light sweet-smelling incense.
• Listen to soothing music.
• Smooth nice body lotion into the parts of
yourself you want to hurt.
• Call a friend and just talk about things that
you like.
• Make a tray of special treats.
• Watch TV or read.
• Visit a friend.
Craving sensation/Feeling empty or
unreal:
• Squeeze ice.
• List the many uses for a random object.
(For example, what are all the things you
can do with a twist-tie?)
• Interact with other people.
• Put a nger into a frozen food (like ice
cream).
• Bite into a hot pepper or chew a piece of
ginger root.
• Rub liniment under your nose.
• Slap a tabletop hard.
• Take a cold bath.
• Stomp your feet on the ground.
• Focus on how it feels to breathe. Notice
the way your chest and stomach move
with each breath.
Wanting focus:
• Do a task that is exacting and requires
focus and concentration.
• Eat a raisin mindfully. Notice how it looks
and feels. Try to describe the texture. How
does a raisin smell? Chew slowly, noticing
how the texture and even the taste of the
raisin change as you chew it.
• Choose an object in the room. Examine
it carefully and then write as detailed a
description of it as you can.
• Choose a random object, like a twist-tie,
and try to list 30 dierent uses for it.
• Pick a subject and research it on the web.
Feeling guilty or like a bad person:
• List as many good things about yourself as
you can.
• Read something good that someone has
written about you.
• Talk to someone that cares about you.
• Do something nice for someone else.
• Remember when you’ve done something
good.
• Think about why you feel guilty and how
you might be able to change it.
Distraction
Techniques
and
Alternative
Coping
Strategies
continued
page 2 of 3
PRACTICAL MATTERS
“… I made a mix of 10
happy songs I would
listen to sometimes
when I was roller-
blading to put myself
in a good mood… It
was uplifting music. It
was good. It was like
‘Walking on Sunshine’
and ‘It’s Raining Men’
and stu like that.
I was like, ‘Maybe I
shouldn’t listen to
depressing, abusive
music when I’m feel-
ing like this. Maybe I
should try to get in a
better mood.’”
— Interviewee