Self soothing

[Blossum123]

Hi there . I was quite poorly and at counselling was told I had never effectively learnt to self sooth as a child . Does anyone have any tips of how they do it . The counsellor suggested a bath but that's obv not always possible ! X

Oh blossum I think you just need to be kind to yourself and do stuff that will calm you down/distract you.

Things I think are good apart from bath are:

Hot chocolate maybe a piece of hot buttery toast
Read a trashy novel with a good plot
Play a free game on your phone, like candy crush/solitaire
Essential oil on a tissue and inhale deeply. Lavender is calming.
Accupressure points
7/11 breathing (breathe in slowly and steadily for 7, out for 11)
A brisk walk outside. Look up.

Hope you feel better soon.

Thankyou - I really like candy crush but always feel guilty like it's a waste of time.i like the smell of lavender oil so think il buy some more xxx

Well it probably is strictly a waste of time, but better than getting caught in negative thought patterns/being unable to switch off, that is a waste of time and energy!

Try not to feel guilty and to treat yourself with the kindness you would a best friend. (Easier said than done, I know)

Quick Self soothing for me:

Nice cup of tea
A stretch, including my neck and arms etc, gently scratching my arms (gives me goosebumps but feels nice, am I weird?)
Running my wrists under cold water
Having a blanket when watching tv
Carefully brushing my hair, even after the knots are all gone
Watching something funny on you tube

blankets are fab
I play phone games to calm me
I rub my feet in my duvet when I settle to sleep
I have a cuddly koala (waala) who is 'alive' and talks with the kids which I think is good for us all

Iv tried some of the suggestions and they've really helped . I still feel guilty if I think I'm wasting time and am quite self critical but the 7/11 breathing really good x

Get a big cuddly toy to hug!