Make a distraction box!

I self harm as well as having autism and I use this trick for both when I'm feeling triggered and/or when I'm in sensory overload.

Grab a box or a bin, you can decorate it yourself with coloring pages or wallpaper or a fabric print that makes you think of happy things, I have a old small carry-on suitcase.

Inside your suitcase/box/bin you want to have things that are comforting for you or will make you focus on something new.

Here are some ideas of things that I have in my suitcase but you will want to add your own! Because if you make one, it's for you and the person that knows you best is you so I can't tell you what to put in it but I'll give you some suggestions.

In my case I have;

-A travel colouring book and markers

-A movie or two that I enjoy that I can watch over and over but will keep my attention

-I have really neat carbonated candy that bubbles on your tongue

-a red pen for drawing lines on myself

-White glue. If you are a picker, put some white glue on the back of your hand and wait for it to go clear and then you can pick it off. Make as many spots on yourself as you need

- a makeup brush to remind me I can always "play" in my makeup

-Long satin gloves that are good since I tend to cut on my arms

- I have several toys like a remote controlled spider named Charlotte, a miniature barrel of monkeys and connect four (they were key chains) a lava lamp like keychain I can just watch bubble

To be continued