Survivors: Taking Care of Yourself

Suggested Ways to Take Care of Yourself

• Seek counseling support [Resources]
• Get support from loved ones – try to identify people you trust to validate your feelings and affirm your strengths and spend time with them.  Do your best not to isolate yourself.
• Talk about the assault and express feelings – choose when, where, and with whom to talk about the assault, and set limits by only disclosing information that feels safe for you to reveal.
• Use stress reduction techniques – hard exercise like jogging, aerobics, walking; relaxation practices like yoga, massage, music, hot baths; prayer and/or meditation.
• Maintain a balanced diet and sleep cycle as much as possible, and avoid using/overusing substances like caffeine, sugar, nicotine, alcohol and/or other drugs.
• Discover your playful and creative self.  Playing and creativity are important for healing. Find time for noncompetitive play -- start or resume a creative activity like piano, painting, gardening, handicrafts, puzzles, knitting, anything you enjoy.
• Take time out. Give yourself permission to take quiet moments to reflect, relax, and rejuvenate -- especially during times you feel stressed or unsafe.
• Try reading. Reading can be a relaxing, healing activity. Try to find short periods of uninterrupted leisure reading time.
• Consider writing or keeping a journal as a way of expressing thoughts and feelings.
• Release some of the hurt and anger in a healthy way. Write a letter to the person that assaulted you about how you feel about what happened to you. Be as specific as you can. You can choose to send the letter or not. You can also draw pictures about the anger you feel as a way of releasing the emotional pain.  These activities may be best done with the support of a professional counselor.
• Hug those you love. Hugging releases the body's natural pain killers.