Look at me, finally writing a proper blog post! I’m sorry it’s been so long but I’m hoping to settle back down into a fortnightly or even weekly schedule. Anyway, in this post, I’m going to be outlining what I keep in my little ‘Mental Health Kit’ that I keep in my bag (almost) everywhere I go! The things in this kit can be very useful to me in times of trouble and, who knows, maybe I’ll tell you about something you hadn’t thought of if you’re thinking of making something like this! Without further ado, here’s my Mental Health Kit:
My Mental Health Kit
I just want to kick this off by saying that my kit isn’t excessive and it fits in all my bags really easily! In fact, it’s a pencil case from WHSmith! You can use anything though, pencil cases, beauty bags, lunch boxes – just make it personal to you!
1. Painkillers, Lip Balm and Inhaler
This kit also doubles as a mini first aid kit for me and having a condition that can cause pain means that it is very useful to have a few painkillers on hand. Plus, carrying paracetamol around is a fairly normal thing to do anyway! You can get paracetamol very cheap in many pharmacies! I also have asthma so this convenient kit makes it easy for me to carry my inhaler around. My lips get dry occasionally so I always keep a lip balm in there, currently, it’s the EOS Sphere Balm in Strawberry Peach!
2. Quote Cards
I wrote myself several positive quote cards that I like to read if I need a little ‘pick me up’. I keep these in the kit so that I always have access to them if I need them. I used to have a few books when I was younger I wrote down all sorts of quotes in so this isn’t a new concept for me (if I find them I’ll do a Youtube Video because they’re probably funny)! You could print quotes off of the internet or write them out if you think something like this would be useful – I wrote mine out on revision/record cards!
3. Lavender Oil
Lavender is a very soothing scent for many, including me! I keep a small bottle of it with me so that I can have a bit of a sniff if I feel particularly tense or anxious and it can calm me down! You can get lavender oil in Holland & Barrett and Boots (and probably more places) and you can even get it as a rollerball so you can put the scent on your wrists or something!
4. Propranolol
Propranolol is a beta-blocker that I used to have on prescription before my doctor remembered that I, in fact, have asthma! It can be particularly useful for anxiety, which was the reason it was prescribed. I still have a few tablets left that I keep with me in case I need to use them as a last resort! If you think something like this may be useful to you, I’d have a chat with your GP!
5. Small Notebook and Pen
I like to keep this in the kit because it is very handy sometimes to write down how I’m feeling. It can also help ‘release’ the emotion so that you can temporarily move on and deal with it later – if you were at work or school for instance. Plus, having a pen to hand is always useful! My notebook is from Sainsbury’s and of course, you can use any pen you like!
6. Fidget Spinner
Sometimes I feel like I can’t keep still, and the fidget spinner helps me release some of that energy. It’s small and discreet and it can be quite fun and soothing to play with so I like to keep it with me! I believe I bought mine from Amazon or eBay!
7. Earphones
You know when you just need to shut the world out? Me too! That’s why I keep these in my kit so that if I need to just shy away from reality and listen to some tunes, I can! Music helps a lot of people get through life, even those who don’t suffer mental illness, so I’d highly recommend something like this! My earphones are from Claire’s but they’re available almost anywhere!
8. Hand Gel
I have a history of OCD so I find comfort in decontamination. I sometimes struggle with the feeling of not feeling ‘clean enough’ so having hand sanitizer to hand really helps me. I love the Bath & Body Works ones which I buy on eBay but I also really like the Carex and Cuticura ones as well that you can get in Boots!
9. Tissues
Where would the world be without tissues? Tissues are so useful to carry around regardless of whether or not you’re carrying a mental health kit. They can mop up a good ol’ cry sesh, or wipe your poor cold-infested nose – very versatile! You can buy tissues from many places but I really like these ones as they contain things so they smell good and they’re really soft!
10. Tangle
I have about FIVE different tangles, (a pink one, a pink and purple one, a pink one with textured bits, a pink, blue and yellow one with textured bits and blue, green and white therapy tangle!) I love them so much! I use them for the same reason as the fidget spinner but I prefer these! They’re easier to carry around, especially as you can wrap them around your arm. I always have one in my pocket or in my bag – I literally never leave home without one (I basically can’t leave the house unless I have a tangle and a hand gel!). I’ve bought most of mine on Amazon or eBay but you can also get them in Argos (3 for £5!), The Works, B&M and more! I want to get several with different textures and connect the best of each one to create my ultimate tangle! (Seriously you can get bobbly ones and fuzzy ones and shiny ones – I’m excitedddddddd!). I’ve asked for a different kind of tangle for Christmas which is a bit bigger and fatter than my other ones so hopefully, I’ll get one! It’s a bit like the therapy one I already have but bigger!
11. Fidget Cube
Similar to the spinner and the tangle, I also have one of these cubes! I’ve had it for a longgg time and I’ve even written a review on it. I still use it sometimes because I really enjoy it! I bought mine in Tesco, but you can also get them on eBay and Amazon and other places! When I first got it, I adored it and treated it like my firstborn child and I still love it now!
12. Small Plush
This is my Perry The Platypus Disney Tsum Tsum that I keep in my kit because sometimes I just need a little something to hug and to comfort me! I don’t always have Perry, sometimes I have Mike Wazoski, an Alien from Toy Story, Cheshire Cat or even a Narwhal I got in a Happy Meal! You don’t have to have a soft toy in there, maybe just something special to you. I love soft things so that’s why I chose to have a soft thing in there!
I really hope you enjoyed this blog post – I actually had a lot of fun writing it because all these things really help me when I need them and I hope that I can help other people feel better in everyday life by suggesting things that genuinely make me get through the day. Obviously you can tailor your kit to you and put things that you love in there! For instance, if you know that you love a certain snack when you’re struggling you could put that in there, or you have a small spray/perfume you know calms you down you could add that. The possibilities are endless!
Thanks for reading – Which item are you most likely to put in your kit?
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