When I think of a distraction box, I think of myself and what I may need to help me get through a tough situation or event. Sometimes that includes reminders of positive past events, and sometimes something more present, like something I can touch or create.

I am greedy when it comes to a distraction box – I have two! One that I made for myself, and one that a friend created for me.

In my distraction box, I included a lot of things. Things like pictures of my pets, positive letters that friends have sent me, physical things like magnetic stones (no matter how hard you try to put two negative stones together you just can’t), stress balls (made from balloons and flour), Care Bear finger puppets, quotes that I find helpful – the list goes on and on!

The distraction box that my friend made me is quite different and overall shows that a distraction box can include anything! My friend made a distraction box for me that included our dreams and distraction techniques; our plans, our futures.

I would like to share these things with you, because it shows that a distraction box can be memorable and can include absolutely anything!

My friend included:

• Gel pens and crayons, to colour my world
• A torch, for when times get dark
• Party poppers, to remind me to have fun
• Lollypops, to add some sweetness back into my life
• Glitter and sparkles, because they make life have a glimmer of hope
• Glue, for when things feel like they are falling apart
• Chalk, so my voice could be heard
• A map, to remind me I have a direction in life
• Tissues, because it’s ok to cry
• Life saver lollies, because sometimes we all need a bit of saving

Distraction boxes could include anything!

They help when you are struggling; finding times tough, when you are needing something to stop you from SI.

If I was honest, creating my distraction box allowed me to stop hurting myself and acting on impulses to SI. It didn’t always help, but sometimes just reading a past letter from a friend helped, sometimes keeping my hands busy by feeling things helped, sometimes just knowing I wasn’t alone helped more than words could ever describe!

Lauren

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We are recruiting for a new Director to join our team! We would love to hear from you if you have personal experience of self-injury, are passionate about the work LifeSIGNS does, and would enjoy volunteering your time and experience to help direct our charitable organisation into the future. If you’re interested, please visit our recruitment page for full details including role specification, requirements, and how to apply. We hope to hear from you.