How to help yourself
- Get back into your normal routine. Go to school or college or spend time with friends.
- Go back to doing activities you used to enjoy.
- Talk to parents or carers and friends about how you are feeling now.
- Talk to others who survived the disaster. They are more able to understand how you feel, having been there too.
- Write down or draw your feelings to get them out of your head.
- Try some relaxation exercises like deep breathing or look for apps on your phone or tablet.
How to deal with angry feelings
Anything physical is helpful. These can calm feelings of anger and frustration. You could try
- Using a punchbag and gloves.
- Joining a gym.
- Joining a running club.
Remember!
Our feelings have to come out.
If you find safe ways of expressing them then this will help you feel calmer and more in control.
You can do it!
Break goals down into small steps so you can achieve them bit by bit.
Each time you achieve a step celebrate by doing something nice for yourself.
Sometimes it can be helpful to do a grounding exercise.
Grounding exercise
If you have flashbacks this exercise can help you to feel calm and safe.
- Step 1 – Sit or stand with your arms and legs uncrossed and feet firmly on the floor.
- Step 2 – Breathe slowly in through your nose and out through your mouth while counting. ‘In 1000 and out 1000.’
- Step 3 – Find familiar objects around you and say what they are, one by one. For example, ‘I can see the wall, I can see my socks, I can see the windows’.
- Step 4 – With more deep breaths describe things that you can hear. ‘I can hear my voice, I can hear myself breath, I can hear the traffic outside’.
- Step 5 – Take more slow breaths and describe things you can feel. ‘I can feel my skin, I can feel my clothes, I can feel my hands’.
Taking care of yourself
1. Try to eat healthy foods
most of the time.
2. Try to stay active.
3. Have enjoyable things to look forward to.
4. Try expressing your feelings in a creative way such as poetry, song-writing or art-making.
5. Having a quiet place you can go to like your own room can give you a bit more privacy if you want it.
Remember!
It’s okay for you to show your sad feelings.
Everyone, male or female, old or young sometimes feels this way too.
Don’t worry if you haven’t cried yet. Your sad feelings will come when you are ready.