What’s in Your Emergency Mental Health Grab Bag

A crisis hits and the scaffolding around your life seems to shake, but you have a Mental Health Grab Bag, and so you know you can get through this.

 

An emergency hits, or maybe it’s just seeing certain family members. Something gets added to your stress load, and the brain spirals down and out of control.

There might also be times you have to go to a hospital for various medical needs. Maybe you need some respite time.

What would you take? How would prepare for the potential emergency?

I would suggest you need an Emergency Mental Health Grab Bag.

We are all supposed to have a grab bag prepared for the unpredictable events such as earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, and other extreme events, but what would you put into your bag?

Mental Health Grab Bag items

Many of the items in my grab bag are what I would call ‘grounding items’.

They help me ground the self into the here and now. Items that are practical, tangible and tactile. They help centre me.

This is my list and you will see that many of the items have links to other articles I have written.

1. S.T.A.N. plan
   This is a plan you have prepared beforehand in case of emergency.
   A S.T.A.N. plan is Simple to understand by all, Timed for review not achievement, Aimed at something of deep importance, and Negotiated with significant others.
2. Bible verses, Quotes, Affirmations
   Have those little verses and sentences easily accessible so that you can say them to yourself. Preferably have them written out on paper. Something tangible and tactile helps the brain to ground itself.
3. Ladder out of your dark hole. 
   The ladder is a small eBook to help you out of our hole. Get a copy here.
4. Thinking Compass. 
   A thinking compass is something that will help you keep pointing due North. It’s a little tool with lots of verses, quotes, affirmations. Learn more about it here.

Read this further here

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