Things that might help after you have been abused

These things are all positive ways to try to help yourself after you have been abused.

They might help to stop any bad thoughts about what happened.

Try to do any of the following things to see if they help you:

• breathe slowly

• think of a safe place or a person you trust or like

• hold something soft 

• look around you and name things you can see or hear

• tell yourself “I am safe now” 

• look after yourself 

  For example, make sure you eat and drink healthy things.

• be kind to yourself.

Do things each day that you like to do.  

For example:

• talk to someone you trust 

• go for a walk

• listen to music 

• draw, paint or write 

• laugh, dance or sing 

• see a friend. 

If you have been sexually abused, it is important to remember it was not your fault.

The next part of our sexual abuse guide is about telling someone you have been abused.

Or you can go back to the introduction to choose to go to a different part of the sexual abuse guide.