Most of us have a first aid kit somewhere in our homes. We keep it stocked and accessible, knowing that accidents and injuries are inevitable parts of life.
But what about our mental and emotional well-being? Shouldn’t we have resources ready for those moments when our mental health needs immediate attention, too?
A mental health emergency kit serves exactly this purpose – a personalized collection of tools, techniques, and resources you can turn to during emotional distress.
Just as you wouldn’t wait until you’re actively bleeding to assemble a first aid kit, creating your mental health emergency kit before you need it ensures you have support readily available during life’s difficult moments.
What Constitutes a Mental Health Emergency?
Mental health emergencies often arrive unexpectedly, crashing into our lives with an intensity that can feel overwhelming.
These moments don’t always announce themselves clearly – they can build gradually or appear suddenly, leaving us feeling vulnerable and unsure of how to respond. It can leave us needing to abandon our plans for the day and look after ourselves in the best way we know how.
But what if we don’t know how?
Mental health emergencies take many forms such as:
- moments of intense anxiety that make breathing difficult
- depressive episodes that render basic tasks impossible
- intrusive thoughts that won’t quiet
- emotional flooding after encountering trauma triggers
- anger that threatens to overtake your control
The common thread among these diverse experiences is that they temporarily overwhelm our usual coping mechanisms.
These situations may not always require professional intervention, but they certainly demand immediate attention and care (often from ourselves in some shape or form).
Recognizing your personal patterns allows you to identify when you’re about to enter emergency territory. This is where a mental health emergency kit comes into play! And it’s worth noting that this kit might be slightly different for each person.
With that said, if you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, it’s important to reach out for help. Call someone you trust or a local mental health hotline. There’s no shame in asking for help. Sometimes, we all need it.
Related Article: 12 Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Support Groups That Can Help
What Goes in a Mental Health First Aid Kit?
Creating an effective mental health emergency kit involves considering what brings you comfort, grounds you in reality, and helps regulate overwhelming emotions.
Unlike physical first aid kits, which have standard items, mental health kits should be personal and tailored to what works best for you. Creating your own kit is a chance to reflect on what really helps you when things feel emotionally tough.
For instance, some people may already have a list of basic things they turn to, such as:
- Taking a bath or shower
- Going for a massage
- Going for a walk
- Enjoying their favorite food
- Working out
….you get the idea.
Yet, the contents of your kit might span several categories beyond these basics and be suited to you and your needs. So, here are a few ideas to help assemble your own kit!
Sensory Soothing Tools
Our senses provide direct pathways to our emotional regulation systems, offering immediate access to calming influences when we feel overwhelmed.
The sensory components of your emergency kit work by engaging your body’s natural ability to process and respond to environmental inputs, effectively interrupting cycles of distress with new information.
These items often bypass our thinking mind that might be caught in repetitive worry or rumination. When selecting sensory tools, consider which of your senses tends to provide the most reliable comfort.
Some people respond strongly to visual inputs, finding that specific images instantly shift their emotional state.
Others might find that specific sounds, textures, tastes, or scents have a particular power to ground them during challenging moments.
The most effective sensory tools often connect to positive memories or experiences, carrying associations that your brain recognizes as signals of safety and comfort.
Examples may include:
- Photos of loved ones or peaceful places
- A small snow globe
- Nature photography
- Headphones with a calming playlist
- Nature sounds
- Guided meditations
- Stress balls or putty
- Smooth stones
- Textured fabrics
- Herbal tea bags
- Dark chocolate pieces
- Mints
- Lavender sachet
- Essential oil roller
- A scented candle
Written Resources
Words can be powerful in moments of emotional crisis.
When your thoughts feel messy and overwhelming, written notes can bring clarity and comfort. These written tools in your emergency kit act like reminders—helping you stay grounded when your emotions take over.
Writing things down ahead of time—like coping strategies, helpful thoughts, or contact info—means you don’t have to figure everything out when you’re already stressed. Instead of trying to remember what helps, you can simply follow what your calmer self already prepared.
Helpful written resources may include:
Related Article: 5 Thoughtful Shadow Work Journal Prompts to Heal Your Wounded Inner Child
Physical Regulation Tools
When you’re too overwhelmed to think clearly or find the right words, these physical tools offer a quiet, effective way to find relief.
The truth is that our emotions and physical sensations are closely linked—what we feel in our body can affect our mood and vice versa. The physical items in your emergency kit support this mind-body connection, giving you simple ways to calm your body and, in turn, your emotions.
These tools help in different ways.
Some use sensory input to break the cycle of rising stress; others help release physical tension that builds up with emotional overwhelm. Some work by using temperature, pressure, or movement to activate your body’s natural calming response.
Here are some options to consider:
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Exercise bands or small hand weights
- Cold pack or warm compress
- Bubble wrap
- Fidget toys
Distraction and Refocusing Items
Sometimes, the most effective strategy during intense emotional distress is temporarily shifting your attention away from overwhelming internal experiences.
Distraction tools in your emergency kit give your mind a break so it can reset before facing the tough stuff again.
Surprisingly, focusing too much on distress can actually make it worse, but a short, intentional pause can help your nervous system settle.
Good distraction tools grab just enough of your attention to break the cycle of overthinking without demanding too much mental effort—something that’s hard to come by when you’re already overwhelmed.
These tools offer a balanced approach where you’re not ignoring your emotions, but you’re also not getting stuck in them.
Here are some ideas:
- Crosswords
- Word searches
- Sudoku puzzles
- Adult coloring book and colored pencils
- Photocopied pages from your favorite books
- List of simple tasks (Easy activities that you can accomplish and that build momentum)
- Grounding exercise cards
Comfort and Self-Care Items
Self-care is a key piece when managing your mental health, especially when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
Comfort items in your emergency kit remind you that you deserve care and kindness, even when it’s hard to be gentle with yourself. But these items can be very personalized and unique to each individual.
Ideally, these items connect you to memories of feeling safe, loved, or at peace. They might smell, feel, or sound familiar in a comforting way (such as that teddy bear you had during your childhood each night!).
More than anything, they serve as a reminder that you’re not alone—and that comfort, even in small doses, can make a big difference during tough times.
Make Your Kit All Your Own
Building a mental health emergency kit is an act of self-respect and preparation. It’s a gentle reminder that your well-being matters—and that you deserve support, even during your hardest moments.
The tools you choose don’t need to be fancy or expensive. What matters most is that they work for you.
Over time, you might even find yourself updating your kit as your needs change—and that’s okay. Think of it as a living resource, one that grows with you.
The simple act of creating this kit is already a powerful step toward showing up for yourself with compassion, intention, and care—when you need it most.
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