[Blue_Bird]

I'm collecting ideas of things to keep in a box to help with urges. So far I've come up with
-Worry Stone (or Focus stones)
-Rubber Bands (using one on your wrist but not overdoing it)
-Stress ball
-Deck of Cards
-Puzzle Book
-Chamomile tea
-Inspirational quotes book

Any other ideas?

[gayleggg]

This sounds like a really good idea.

[Sterella]

I like to play with play-dough. I know that might sound weird, but the smell is nice to me, the color is very appealing, and I love keeping my hands busy mashing and molding the squishy stuff!

[ThisWayOut]

I also have
-lotion (lavender, ginger peach, and eucalyptus/mint)
-play dough
-glass beads on a keychain (tactile)
-silly putty
-a "Tangle" toy
-squishy stress toys
-coloring book/crayons
-a scented candle
-a reminder to grab my ipod
-a picture of my favorite dog
-a note from a T
-a printed list of coping skills one of my T's gave me a while ago
-a reminder to take my anxiety meds if I need to
-I used to have chocolate in there too, but I kept forgetting to replace it after eating it.

[Sterella]

MdngtRain, I like your coping box. It sounds like a lot of fun!

I have also done a self soothing box.
put in mine.

Teddy bear
puzzle book
photo of my dog
smelly candle
chocolate
music.

[Blue_Bird]

Great ideas everyone! I think I'm going to add a few more to mine
-Scented Candles
-Coloring Book and colored pencils/crayons
-Play dough
-Enough money to take a family member or friend and myself out to lunch (Subway or Mcdonalds for example, just to get out of the house have a treat and socialize)

Now I just need to get a nice box to keep all this stuff in

[Sharp_Lace]

My box tends to be full of kinky things lol

I also like makeup and stuff to do my hair... I enjoy doing that and it motivates me to go some place if I'm all dressed up.

[JustAlison007]

Made my box this weekend....

-Pics of all the people I care about
-peacock feather (one of my favorites)
-sample perfume (Vampire it smells awesome)
-a necklace my mom has the identical
-my best friend bracelet
-a cute sushi eraser (stupid I know but it was cute to me and made me happy lol)
-a few other pieces of jewelry that are tied to good times I have had
-my metals I won for Voice and Theatre

This little box has made it easier
I also bought a stuffed animal that a bee and he is round and I have been using him like a stress ball. lol I totally recommend having a stuffed animal on you that is ball shaped it has helped me immensely.

[JustAlison007]

Originally Posted by Blue_Bird

Great ideas everyone! I think I'm going to add a few more to mine
-Scented Candles
-Coloring Book and colored pencils/crayons
-Play dough
-Enough money to take a family member or friend and myself out to lunch (Subway or Mcdonalds for example, just to get out of the house have a treat and socialize)

Now I just need to get a nice box to keep all this stuff in

I like the idea of the money thing it would be a great distraction thats a great idea! thanks

[Switch]

The money is a great idea, but I'd worry I'd spend it on the wrong things.

Mine has
-coloring books and crayons
-play dough
-DBT skills book
-a piece of rope from a beach that still smells like camp.
-a mirror I decorated with glass in grade 6.
-a variety of pamphlets and booklets on a lot of different self help stuff, because they're a good distraction for me.

I want to improve it though. It use to have stuff I shouldn't have put in there but I took it out and am working on rebuilding.

I'm thinking of putting my favourite TV shows in there, or at least a list of them.

[falsememory7]

I love all these things! It's interesting to know that I'm not the only one who finds playing with play dough calming and therapeutic I also have reading mystery novels, taking long walks outside, and watching scary movies (they distract me very well)... chocolate is a big one too, but for some reason that always invokes me crying

[Blue_Bird]

I no longer have self harm urges but I thought it would be good to "resurrect" this thread for new members to take a look and see if they like the idea I was just looking around checking for things to help deal with my anxiety, I'm very anxious right now.

[ifst5]

Yes I have a coping box. It contains a therapy tangle, adult colouring books, mini sketchbook and pens, bouncy balls, massage balls, graphic novels and a diary. I add and take stuff out of it all the time.

[baseline]

have you tried mandalas? There are free printable versions on line. Coloring these with colored pencils can be very relaxing/soothing. p.s. Great idea I made stress bags for some students and it had a lot of these things in it. They liked the mandalas.

[Blue_Bird]

Thanks for the mandalas idea, there are some great adult coloring books I've found on Amazon. A lot of them are by Dover illustrations. I found a Christmas Mandala coloring book. I also found a *gasp* owl coloring book (I love owls)

Since I no longer self harm or have urges, I don't think I'll need the rubber bands anymore.

I still don't have a box, but am going to work at buying 1 or 2 things a month to put in one eventually.

My updated one will have the following:
Puzzle Books
Coloring Books
Stress Ball
Worry Stone
Tangle toy
Deck of Cards

That's not a lot of stuff but I kinda want to keep it simple.

I will be using Chamomile tea everyday soon so I'm not going to keep that in a box.

Also, the candles I'd like to keep out and displayed.

I found a nice wooden box on Amazon. I'll post pics when I get the box and all the stuff to go in it. May take a few months.

[ifst5]

Here's a picture of what's inside mine (sorry it doesn't capture everything):



I forgot to mention word searches, perfume rub, memory games and origami napkins.

[Blue_Bird]

Awesome ifst5!

[Mike_J]

A slinky.. not a plastic one but an old fashioned metal one.. they are very soothing to just rock back and forth in your hands, much better than any stress ball...