{"id":193481,"date":"2021-09-10T16:54:38","date_gmt":"2021-09-10T15:54:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/?page_id=193481"},"modified":"2026-02-26T10:10:03","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T10:10:03","slug":"support","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/bucks\/ace\/support\/","title":{"rendered":"Useful support and ideas"},"content":{"rendered":"<details class=\"nhsuk-details nhsuk-expander\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Dealing with self-harm<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<h3>Letting it out <span style=\"color: #800080\">PHYSICALLY<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Scream <\/em>as loud as you can<\/li>\n<li>HIT a cushion \/ punch bag \/ throw a cushion <em>against a wall<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Smash a water melon<\/li>\n<li>Kick a football against a wall<\/li>\n<li><strong>Squeeze <\/strong>ice really hard<\/li>\n<li>Squeeze a stress ball<\/li>\n<li>Tear up a newspaper\/phone directory<\/li>\n<li>Play loud music and dance energetically \u2013 be as wild as you like<\/li>\n<li>Draw on the place you want to cut with red marker pen, fake blood or watered down food colouring<\/li>\n<li>Spend some energy &#8211; go for a walk\/swim\/go to the gym\/ride a bike\/go running<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Trying to work out how you\u2019re feeling\u2026<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Ask yourself \u201cDo I feel ANGRY?\u2019 \u2018Do I feel anxious?\u2019 \u2018What about?\u2019<\/li>\n<li><strong>Write a letter <\/strong>to someone you\u2019re angry with (hurt by etc.) saying how you feel (No need to send it.)<\/li>\n<li>Write a list of your achievements<\/li>\n<li>Write a letter to yourself saying \u2018I love YOU because\u2026.\u2019<\/li>\n<li><strong>Make a list <\/strong>of things you\u2019re thankful for<\/li>\n<li>Make a wish list<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Talking about it\u2026.<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Talk to a <strong>friend<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Call the Samaritans or other helpline<\/li>\n<li>Allow yourself to cry (if you can)<\/li>\n<li>Use the Young Minds texting service<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Comforting yourself\u2026<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Have a bath or <strong>shower<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Use aromatherapy oils<\/li>\n<li>Eat <strong>chocolate <\/strong>(or whatever)<\/li>\n<li>Have an \u2018emergency box\u2019 with whatever helps you cope<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>Massage <\/em><\/strong>your hands \/ arms \/ feet (or the area you want to harm)<\/li>\n<li>Stroke a pet \/ cuddle a teddy<\/li>\n<li>Paint your nails \/ Have your hair done<\/li>\n<li>Meditate \/ yoga<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Using your creativity<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Draw \/ paint \/ collage \/ paper mache \/ finger paint \/ sculpt in clay &#8211; to express what your feelings<\/li>\n<li>Write a poem \/ story \/ song \/ joke \/ autobiography \/ parody \/ musical<\/li>\n<li>Write a DIARY \/ journal or read old diaries (unless there might be triggers)<\/li>\n<li>Scribble a word again and again to say how you\u2019re feeling e.g. \u2018lonely\u2019, \u2018angry\u2019<\/li>\n<li>Deface a magazine (preferably your own)<\/li>\n<li>Paint with <strong>red paint <\/strong>using your fingers<\/li>\n<li>Take some photos<\/li>\n<li>Play an instrument \/ Sing to music as LOUD as you can<\/li>\n<li>Put on music which <em>expresses <\/em>how you are feeling<\/li>\n<li>Write out the soundtrack to your life if it were a film<\/li>\n<li>Imagine a colour which expresses your feelings then change it in your mind to another colour<\/li>\n<li>Make a <strong>memory box <\/strong>\/ scrapbook<\/li>\n<li>Write an <strong>alternative <\/strong>ending to a story<\/li>\n<li>Watch a foreign language channel and make up your own interpretations<\/li>\n<li><strong>Create <\/strong>your own cartoon characters \/ legends<\/li>\n<li>Create a SECRET CODE<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details nhsuk-expander\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Dealing with anxiety<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<ul>\n<li>Notice what you are thinking<\/li>\n<li>Notice what you are feeling<\/li>\n<li>Practice focused, deep breathing: try breathing in for 4 counts and breathing out for 4 counts for a few minutes.<\/li>\n<li>Practice a grounding technique<\/li>\n<li>Talk to somebody about your worries<\/li>\n<li>Practice a distraction technique: go out for some fresh air\/play a game\/watch a funny video\/do some exercise for 15 minutes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details nhsuk-expander\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Dealing with low mood<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<ul>\n<li>Notice what you are thinking<\/li>\n<li>Notice what you are feeling<\/li>\n<li>Practice a grounding technique<\/li>\n<li>Talk to somebody about your worries<\/li>\n<li>Practice a distraction technique: go out for some fresh air\/play a game\/watch a funny video\/do some exercise for 15 minutes<\/li>\n<li>Use self care tools<\/li>\n<li>Try to stick to routines like a regular wake up time and bed time<\/li>\n<li>Contact a helpline like CAMHS<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details nhsuk-expander\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Dealing with school stress<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<ul>\n<li>Talk to somebody that you trust to share how you are feeling<\/li>\n<li>Ask for help from school and family to help you with managing your work load\/any areas you are struggling with<\/li>\n<li>Ask for support with organising your time\/with what you are finding difficult<\/li>\n<li>Make a timetable of when you will do work at home<\/li>\n<li>Practice breathing exercises, grounding techniques to support you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details nhsuk-expander\">\n                    <summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n                        <span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Skills and strategies<\/span>\n                    <\/summary>\n                    <div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\">\n<h3>Grounding skills<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Refocus your attention \u2013 try to concentrate hard on something in your environment \u2013 look at the colours, shapes, textures and describe it in detail in your head<\/li>\n<li>Find a grounding object which you can carry around and use when you \u201cspace out\u201d to bring you back to the present<\/li>\n<li>Find something that has a relatively strong smell to use as it can very powerful in bringing you back to the present: e.g. Tiger balm<\/li>\n<li>Play a game on your phone<\/li>\n<li>Stamp your feet<\/li>\n<li>Do a breathing exercise<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n                <\/details>\n<h2>Other websites<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nspcc.org.uk\/keeping-children-safe\/our-services\/childline\/?\/\">Childline<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.samaritans.org\/\">Samaritans<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/youngminds.org.uk\/\">YoungMinds<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rethink.org\/\">Rethink<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"nhsuk-action-link\"><a class=\"nhsuk-action-link__link\" href=\"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/support\/others\/\" target=\"_self\"><span class=\"nhsuk-action-link__text\">View other sources of help<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Other websites Childline Samaritans YoungMinds Rethink<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1397,"parent":192920,"menu_order":16,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-service.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-193481","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/193481","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=193481"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/193481\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":196830,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/193481\/revisions\/196830"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/192920"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1397"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhealth.nhs.uk\/camhs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=193481"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}