Coping toolkit

Small, portable practices for the moment an urge shows up.

All practices

Grounding
Return to the present, through the senses.
Breathing
Slow the body, and the mind follows.
Delay Technique
15 minutes at a time. Wait it out.
Urge Surfing
The wave rises. The wave falls. You are the surfer.
Journaling
Move it from inside to onto the page.
Walking
Ten minutes outside. Nothing else asked.
Calling Support
One person on your list.
Meaning & Purpose
Values, purpose, and spiritual grounding.
Mindfulness
Watch the thought. Don't argue with it.
Emergency Plan
The steps you wrote for right now.

Delay Technique

15 minutes at a time. Wait it out.

Set a timer for 15 minutes. Do one small thing — a glass of water, a walk to the corner, a text to someone safe. When the timer ends, ask: can I do 15 more? Most urges peak and pass within 20–30 minutes.

Walking

Ten minutes outside. Nothing else asked.

Put on shoes. Walk out the door. Aim for ten minutes, no destination. Notice your feet meeting the ground. If you can, leave the phone.

Mindfulness

Watch the thought. Don't argue with it.

Sit for two minutes. When a craving-thought arises, label it: 'thinking.' Return to the breath. You are not the thought. You are the awareness watching it.

Not a substitute for therapy or emergency care. Crisis resources