PREPARING IN ADVANCE
Preparing in advance for times of the day or week that you know can trigger voices – for example, commuting to work, going to crowded places or seeing a particular person – can often help you feel more in control. Some people find it useful to think about which techniques might be useful for particular situations beforehand, so that they can bring a ‘toolkit’ of strategies with them.
Preparing in advance might involve making a Crisis Plan. You can find more information about this here.
I try to avoid my triggers wherever possible, but in the real world it is impossible to do. I try and run a mental risk assessment before I leave the house each day.
In public places and at work, I try to take breaks away from people because I find this helps in order to not become overstimulated.
I have used my phone to pretend I’m talking to someone else when I’m in a busy place.
