Emergency Box

[Jenny]

Hi,

I saw somewhere that it is a good idea to have an ‘emergency box’. Like somewhere where you can put things that will help you when/if you’re feeling really suicidal and/or low. I.e. put something together now in a box and if things get too much for you take a look in the box .. make sense?

So the next thing would be to find things and put them in your box. I am going to make one and so far have the following things :

• A birthday card from work because it shows me just how much people care for me
• A CD I made with music that cheers me up when I’m feeling blue
• Photo of my cat – she gives me a reason to hang on
• A little book of hugs that was gifted to me recently
• £5 note so I can go out and buy something nice for myself
• A printout of this post so that I’m reminded of this wonderful forum

What would you put in your emergency box!?

 

[helena]

..of course a photograph of my kids and my mom,those people i love most,your email adress as well as from many people here!!!

 

[Robin]

I would definitely have to put chocolate in my box .. though .. I might grab nibbles here and there so I would have to replace it often!!

 

[Jodi]

ummm......dont remember what I read again...hold on........oh yea.....what would I bring....hmmmm Definetly some photos of family and friends, and my husband, and a computer, -Jodi

-or was it something about a box, ya thats it I think it was the box, same things!! hehehe

 

[sosad]

i would have to say new book to read and good music

 

[blue542]

Hmmm Emergency box... I too would keep everyone here in it, but...

Items in no particular order:

1. Mandolin and tuner
2. Portable dvd player and Billy Madison movie
3. International calling card and a address book with ya'll's phone numbers (yes that's a word with two apostrophes)
4. Pictures of select friends, family, and the Oregon Coast
5. Trail mix...you can never have enough trail mix

 

[raw]

Thats actually a very good idea, Jenny. I dont know yet what I would put in it, but I think I need an emergency crate.

rick

 

[dead_inside]

aww i wish i could put memories in a box... hmm but since i cant ill have to go with -- my dog, cd's, maybe wee-man from jackass lol..., chocolate, pictures, movies, my trusty little tamagotchi , a credit card, someone to pay my credit card bill, a beanie, my birthday card from deb and a trampoline.

yea im aware that's one huge box but the things make me happee

ps -- billy madison ROCKS !!!

--

 

[bunny]

this is a realy great idea, ive started my own and so far i hav:

chocolate
a teddy bear
chocolate
money (i liked that idea)
chocolate
a birthday card from some friends
chocolate
tissues
chocolate
and a book

im still working on it hoping to fill the box soon, just need a photo album of my friends and maybe a bit more chocolate!

 

[skittles]

This is a great idea... unfortionately, i was already feeling down when i made the first one and so i put bad things in it. the second one so far has:
..a big stuffed frog (its comfy and nice and warm)
..my phone (well, actually my phone would be in my pocket but, i will take it out and put it in the box then close the box then open it again and be like, oh! my phone)
..some munchies
..pictures of some people that make me feel cared for and loved
..bandaids (something about bandaids makes me feel better... i wish they made soul-bandaids that you could put on your soul to make it stop hurting)
..a mix cd i made with a bunch of funny songs
..paper and pencil
..my favortie book (Break It Down by Lydia Davis)
..a magnifying glass (lol... it takes my mind off self harming to look at really small things around places...)

Thats all i got right now

 

[dead_inside]

omg band aids make me feel better too but i didnt wanna say it cos i thought people would think i wanted to hurt miself lol .. weird

--

 

[just me]

Stacks of hundreds. Call me crass.

 

[rogue]

this is what i would have in my emgancy box
my toy spike the transexual cow ( dont ask )
book of shaddows ( lots of postive spells in there)
dvd of will and grace ( there just so funny )
smokes ( ok i know it bad for me but smoking calms me down)
green tea
hummous ( low fat)
cd mixed of my fav songs
pics of my family
pics of my familys pets
funny pics
monney ( to get some thing i like)
sim2 ( very good distraction )
harry potter and lord of the rings books ( ok i will need a big box for all those books)
tin of low cal lentail soup ( mmmm)
my favorate pjs
favorate jumper

 

[Smilie46]

I just saw my therapist and am crying right now.

I was going to ask what people do to keep their mind off suicide. Like Rick I think that right now I'd need a crate of an emergency box to cheer me up. I'll have a good think about it though.

Thanks for listening

Smilie

 

[Jenny]

Awww Smilie, I'm sorry that you're feeling down. I find that counselling does that to me sometimes too. Sometimes talking about myself, my feelings, etc isn't easy. And she does have this way of asking the one question i don't wanna answer lol

I hope that you are looking after yourself. Please remember we're here anytime.
*big hugs*
Jenny x

 

[Smilie46]

Thanks Jenny,

Besides the emergency box what do you do to try and get rid of the feelings that get you down. (I want to get things out rather than keep them inside)

I'm alone most of the time and have been living with depression for a long while but have only been in thearpy for about a year. My thearpist told me yesterday that she thinks that I will have to live with some depression in my life.

I find that I can become totally overwhelmed emotionally at times........and it hurts.

Sorry if I'm rambling

Take care of yourself

 

[Jenny]

Hiya

I think many here will be able to relate to your feelings of overwhelming emotion at times. I guess i would suggest...

Writing down your feelings, whether in a private journal, in a letter, on this forum, etc. I think writing down feelings can help process them. Also, seeing them in black and white can sometimes help. Sharing them, like on this forum could help, as in you will undoubtedly find people here who can relate to and understand your feelings. That might make you feel less alone.

Calling your therapist may help too, if you need to speak to someone 'in real life'. Or there are helplines if you need to talk to someone anonymously. The Samaritans are a good one. (there is a list of helpline numbers in the crisis forum)

Calling a friend, going to the cinema, watching a film, going shopping, etc. are all good distractions and can help make you feel less alone physically.

I guess it all depends on what helps you. Some people need to be distracted when they're feeling low. Other people need to talk about how they're feeling. Either way, I do think it's important to have that outlet for the bad times.

Not sure if this helps. It's a good idea for a new thread though.. we could ask other people how they cope and ask for their ideas

Take care of yourself
HUGS
Jenny xx

 

[angel_is_dead]

My knife (my release when things r too much)
A piccie of my boyfriend (i love him more than anything "hes my wonderwall")
My rammstein cds (the only thing that can mak me smile on a rainy day)
My diary (so i can release all my energy into writing)
A few of my fave printed replies to threads (u guys r th best s n kisses* u make me reconsider the fact im nothing, even for a minute)

 

[kittycat]

I would have to put in pics of my pussycats(all 12 of them), my dogs, my animals and all the things that make me feel safe, oh and chocolate...lots of, and my prince cd (when doves cry), my fluffy red devil who goes to hospital with me, a good book and maybe a lipstick or two...lol.

 

[Claire]

I don't think I'd actually really want things to cheer me up. I'd rather ride through the emotion until it exhausts me, but doing things so that Im not killing myself. And there would be a few "why live?" items in the box, to.


- picture of my dad, my best friend, and the guy I'm in love with(cuz they would feel SO needlessly guilty if I died)

-the phone number for this kickass pizza place,

-a good knife (if I'm this suicidal, I'm definitely going to cut)

-my beads to remind me of my guru and meditate with, if I'm in a tranquil sort of suicidal state.

-A picture of a starving ethiopian child, an abused wife with no where to run, an Iraqi civilian with a leg blown off, a wrongly convicted inmate of an overcrowded prison, illegal immigrants packed into the back of a truck.... anything to remind me that my problems could be a Hell of a lot worse....

Gorecki's 3rd symphony,

- bottle of pinot grigio.