Life can be overwhelming. We crumble, curl up, roll into hiding, and build spikes in the process.

Sometimes, these just don’t seem to work, and voices scream at us to “get over it”. At such times, we may look towards self-harm to cope with suffering. Let us explore 25 alternatives to this:

Anger
1.     Use ice – drink, hold in hand / mouth, place on forehead
2.     Scribble and vent on paper or in a diary / notes application
3.     Squeeze stress balls / grip strengtheners
4.     Engage in exercise that requires a strong focus or high effort
5.     Organise your room – rearrange, tidy the space or do some spring cleaning

Sadness
6.     Talk to a loved one
7.     Wrap yourself up in a blanket
8.     Play some soothing or happy tunes
9.     Watch a favourite show or movie
10.  Smell something nice – food, perfume, incense, flowers

Numb / Emptiness
11.  Enjoy some sunlight
12.  Take a long shower/bath
13.   Blast and dance to some favourite tunes
14.  Plan to, or do something nice for someone (gift, compliment, a hug)
15.  Try or do something new – hobby, activity, game, book, recipe

Spiralling Out of Control
16.  Touch 5 things in your environment you haven’t in a while
17.   Tightly clench your muscles for a few seconds before relaxing them
18.  Take deep breaths and picture yourself somewhere calming (beach, forest, etc.)
19.   Find an online video of something breath-taking, calming or cute (if you can’t picture it)
20.  Think of 3 things you are grateful for in your life

Self-Hatred
21.  Sing your self-loathing thoughts in a silly (or cartoon character’s) voice
22.  Hug yourself or a pillow
23.  Pat yourself on your head and shoulders
24.   List your strengths and read them out loud OR
25.  List your flaws and consider – why do I think this way? Can this be a good thing at times? Am I making a snap judgment of myself? Can I do something to manage this?

The list is not exhaustive, and isn’t meant to solve your life’s problems. But hopefully, they’ll help you tide over some difficult moments.

Screenshot this list for convenient reference when in need! And remember to give yourself a pat on the back each time you perform an activity on the list instead of self-harming.