5 Essential Items for an Anxiety 'Crisis Kit'

For people who don’t experience mental health issues, a “crisis kit” might seem pointless. For the people who do, it can be that one thing keeping us going whilst in public.

Personally, my crisis kit is different to most. So, these are five things I keep that could possibly help others out there who are similar to me.

1. Earphones.

One thing I can’t leave the house without is my earphones, so I like to always have a pair handy in case mine break or I forget them. Music just keeps me going through the day, so earphones are a must.

2. My favorite lip gloss.

Sometimes, a lot of my anxiety is caused by insecurities about my physical appearance, so a major help for me has been my favorite lip gloss. Whenever I start to get a bit freaked out, I can just put that on and I’ll feel a bit calmer.

3. Fidget cube or spinner.

Personally, I don’t keep these as such, but my alternative is my lucky charm which is essentially just a bunch of keychains hanging off another keychain. It’s basically just something small and meaningful I can always fiddle with, that takes my mind off anything happening.

4. Cream.

One of my most common physical anxiety symptoms is a rash. Whether it be on my leg or across my chest, I tend to get a really itchy rash whenever I get really anxious, so having moisturizing cream to rub on it really helps the itching go away, which slowly eases away the redness.

5. My favorite type of gum.

I personally prefer flavored gum, but everyone has different preferences. This just helps me to avoid biting my nails or at pieces of loose skin around my nails. Chewing gum can distract me enough to stop that and help me get through the situation without crumbling.

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Photo by Siddharth Bhogra on Unsplash