First AID for Difficult Emotions

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It is important to take care of your mental health every day. Just like your physical health, it is important to practice good habits including getting enough sleep, exercising, eating nutritious foods, spending time with friends and family, and more. Just like you may experience a physical emergency, you may experience emotional emergencies. Having the right emotional first AID kit can help you cope with difficult emotions whenever they arise.

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A - accept whatever you are feeling

• not accepting your feelings creates tension. pay attention to physical signs or symptoms. They are often the first sign of suppressed feelings

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I - identify your feelings

• when you name your feelings, you are less likely to feel overwhelmed by them

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D - do something with your feelings

• cry, go to the gym, find a secluded place to yell, talk to someone who are able to listen without judging, tear up a paper, journal about what you are feeling, cook or bake, go on a walk.

We encourage you to create an emotional emergency first aid kit or coping kit to help you manage when difficult emotions arise. Linked below is a coping kit worksheet created and provided by Kelly Mental Health that you may utilize to help you create your kit.

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​https://www.kellymentalhealth.com/uploads/9/9/5/9/99592744/coping_kit.pdf (online link)