How to Make a Mental Health First Aid Kit
Even in our best times, we can come across circumstances that can throw our mental health into a spiral. Our anxiety or depression symptoms feel out of control. Or we’re having a rotten day and need to reset. This can happen in between therapy sessions, or in periods of time we are not seeing a therapist. So what are we supposed to do?
A strategy I recommend is coming up with your own “Mental Health First Aid Kit” to utilize whenever you need to. The following are merely ideas, and I encourage you to get as creative as you want.
USE YOUR PHONE
Put a note on your phone with reminders or ideas of what you can do to feel better. Some ideas:
Mantras
I am safe. I am worthy. I can do hard things.
Ways to move your body
Short walk around office building, chair yoga, play with your children, walk your dog
Special memory
Favorite childhood memory, favorite place you’ve traveled to
List of calming music
Make a playlist (or more!) for different moods
Names of people you can call or text
Call 988 - National Mental Health Crisis Hotline
PHYSICAL KIT
Find some sort of container (I’ve seen one as small as an Altoids box!) that can be used and easily accessed when needed. Think about if you want a small one to travel around with you, or to have at the office or if you just want a larger one to have at home. If you’re the crafty/artsy type - get creative and make it your own! Here are some ideas to have in your kit:
Candle or essential oil
You can even put some essential oil on a cotton ball
Fidgets or a stress ball
Notebook and pen
Coloring book and colored pencils
Small mint or candy
Notes that are affirming
That your write yourself or you save from others
Pictures of people or places you love
Your own photographs or even from magazines
USE YOUR SENSES
While making your kit, whether on your phone or a physical one, consider using each sense.
Sight
Save videos you find calming or funny
Look around and notice 3 things
Hearing
Have go-to YouTube videos or playlists of calming sounds
Notice anything you hear in the moment
Smell
Bake cookies, light a candle
Touch
Use a weighted blanket
Notice your body temperature
Feel your feet on the ground
Taste
Take a slow drink of water
Mindfully eat a piece of chocolate
MENTAL HEALTH ACTIVITIES
I recommend having some go-to activities you can do when you need a mental health boost. There is no possible way I can suggest every option under the sun but some relatively easy ideas:
Take a bath or shower
Doodle
Play 5-10 minutes of a game on your phone
Do a few yoga poses
Write about what’s on your mind
Wash your face
Crochet/Knit/Cross-stitch, etc.
One way to figure out what might work best is to think about places or times you have felt most calm and try to mimic that as much as possible. Some examples:
If you really like the beach, what about it? If you like the sand, set up a mini sand tray or zen garden and put your hands in the sand. If it’s reading a book on the beach, put on some ocean sounds and sit near a fan while reading.
If you like being near or in water, maybe a shower or bath will work.
If animals calm you, but you do not have a pet, ask a friend or family member if you can walk their dog or come over and just hang with their pets. Or volunteer at an animal shelter. If you live near Cincinnati, check out Cincinnati Animal CARE.
If you find peace in the mountains and don’t live near them, find a hiking trail nearby that gives a similar sense of tranquility. Hamilton County Great Parks has many trails you can explore!
These can take some trial and error, but try a few things out and see what works best for you!
What I love about having a Mental Health First Aid Kit is that YOU create it for yourself and what works best for YOU. With time your preferences might change and that is okay, there is no single way to create your kit.
If you are a parent, make one with your child! If they are unable to read, draw or print out pictures that represent what they can do to feel more calm.
Whatever you create, make sure to share it with your therapist! We LOVE to know all the tools our clients use for their mental health!
