Something awful happened to me..

[Hurtingneedssoothing]

2 nights ago something pretty bad happened, I don't want to explain or go into it.

Apart from the feelings associated and feel thoroughly depressed, I just don't know what to do.

Im trying to find a film or a book, preferably a book just to take my mind of things. I cant go out anywhere but I need to do something as distraction.

Can you recommend any books I can read? I like a lot of true life stuff and I also like crime and action books. I'll also read young adult and some romance.

I have the kindle app.

Any help would be great! Thanks

With traumatic painful things I find relief by writing it all down, usually in Note form on the Ipad, then rearrange the paragraphs into a sequential order, adding to it over a number of days as different thoughts occur. It helps me to let go and clears my mind.

I just finished reading 'Verity' on the kindle. I couldn't put it down. Really good read.

Call the Samaritans. They are open all night. They are confidential and will listen. They will not report anything you say unless you are currently in danger. And of course you don't have to give them your details.

www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/

Shout will also help but do call someone. Distraction can be helpful but ultimately sharing what happened will help you process it

@Summersnearlygone - Thank you so much for that - I'll take a look. I haven't read the book for about 3 years but started reading it again tonight and remembered why I loved it so much just a few pages in.

I dont want to talk out loud about it so ill wait for shout. I'll either get through to them eventually or end up falling sleep.

If needs be I could call samaratans but It makes me quite anxious.

At least I'll have a good list of things to read and watch for the.next few days.

Im so grateful, thank you

You don't have to talk to anyone just yet if you don't feel ready. It might be tomorrow, the next week, month - whenever- it doesn't matter - just when you're ready. Everyone is affected differently to traumatic events, there is no right or wrong about how we feel. It can be a bit like grief.. sudden, denial, acceptance etc, all perfectly normal and in no particular order. Just remember, whatever you're feeling, go with it - your feelings are real, they're valid and most importantly, you matter more than anyone so look after yourself and I wish you all the very best.

I hope you've managed to get through to Shout...they are fantastic and we're an absolute Godsend for me when I was going through a challenging time during the pandemic.

I did have to wait a while on one occasion but they are very good at communicating and I got through in the end.

You can sign up to the library online and they've got pretty much every book as an ebook too.
I can understand you don't want to talk out loud about it. You can keep talking to us, if you want to.
Can't help with film suggestions I'm afraid, I watch Plebs on repeat as my comfort watching!

I found the Selling Sunset series on Netflix helpful for a time I needed to get relief from difficult feelings.
I couldn't cope with anything too realistic and it was a great distraction. Something like that might help. Hope you find some peace soon xxx

I haven't read the thread in full but what comes to mind is comfort tv, if you have any series you love? Mine is Buffy
Malory towers on iPlayer, all creatures great and small (think it's on my5) are v easy watching
I play clockmaker on my phone and homescapes

Hi OP,
I'm glad you have so many recommendations. Your idea of baths and rest for self care are good. It's good you know you could call Samaritans if need be and that you reached out to a friend in a way- and to Shout.

In DBT, we learn we can use each of our senses as a way to help us emotionally regulate, for example, light a nice scented candle and breath in the smell, buy a cheap colourful bunch of flowers to look at, put hand cream on your hands and give yourself a little hand massage etc.

I'd also recommend, depending on whether you feel safe/comfortable doing so, trying to go for a walk at some point. Fresh air is very good for the soul as well as the body, and will help you sleep/rest.

Young adult tv and fiction are good when you are feeling fragile. What sort of things do you usually like?

Audiobooks are good- there are a lot on BBC sounds, I think. I've never got the hang of podcasts though!

please don’t take this the wrong way but maybe the Samaritans isn’t the right answer. They are trained just to listen not hive advice. If you are in a desperate place and need some actual help or support, they might just make the situation much worse. I got off the phone really upset that I just needed someone to care or to help and they would not.

I second Gilmore Girls on Netflix. I started watching it at a difficult time. It’s not what I’d usually watch as it’s slightly sickly sweet for British tastes I think but the feel good simplicity of it was just what I needed and I could lose myself in it.

I fell asleep before shout got back to me and I've been asleep up until now.

Im going to look through these suggestions and see what I can find. I think a TV series or film would be good today.

Thanks for all the support, it does help.

Feeling really awful, I'm so sad.

I've texted shout. I just feel so alone.

I'm sorry to hear that! I'm around for a while. Can you text shout again?

What kind of things do you like to watch? We loved modern family and Schotts creek. They are truly silly and don't need much attention.

We also like the slightly weird stuff- a bit of old X files, or Wayward Pines.

Im watching Bear Grylls with Miranda Hart at the moment and I'm messaging shout. I've got something to eat too.

Im just devastated 😢

Sending lots of love. The Below Deck, Below Deck Mediterranean, Below Deck Sailing Yacht AND Below Deck Down Under series are brilliant escapism tv shows. Helped me through bad depression and anxiety xxx

Sending lots of love.

I was quite hooked to playing 'who wants to be a millionaire' - it's free on the App Store. It could work as a distraction if you like trivia?

Ten things I hate about you is my feel-good movie.

I hope Shout came back to you.

Hi op, I’m so sorry you’ve had this awful thing happen to you. A previous poster is right when they say that Samaritans can only listen and not advise. But you can contact them via webchat, and it might help you to write it all down and begin to process it. Just a thought.

Also you asked upthread about reading on your kindle app. You can’t buy books through the app, you buy on Amazon as normal and they’re downloaded to your app.

Ive recently finished reading all 14 of Elly Griffiths’ Dr Ruth Galloway books. They’re murder combined with archaeology - these are the first books I’ve managed to get through after about 5 years of not being able to concentrate on reading. Might be worth a try.

And finally, if games are helpful, how about two dots. I really hope you can start to feel a bit better soon.

Also you can email Samaritans if that would be helpful but response times aren’t great.

SHOUT can take an hour or more to respond but they really are very good. Stick with it