Hope in a box: The self-soothe kits helping people with their mental health

A hope box, also known as a self-soothe kit, is a technique used in cognitive behavioural therapy, which aims to reduce panic, anxiety and stress.

They can contain anything that can help distract or soothe someone who is feeling distressed. 

The boxes will not fix everything - and they are not supposed to. They can, however, help when things feel especially overwhelming.

Muhammad Khan says using a self-soothe box has helped him.

Muhammad Khan, from Oldham, is an award-winning blogger who has struggled with his mental health for a long time.

Diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia he has been an inpatient at a rehabilitation mental health unit in Stockport for the past four years. 

Muhammad uses a self soothe box as part of his treatment. It's a simple idea but one that's helped him through some difficult times.

People often find it helpful to have items that relate to different senses, as well as some things to help them distract themselves.

Muhammad told me: "These are things that can soothe me; give me peace and help me ground myself and come out of fight or flight mode.

"Different people like different things. I'm a big fan of lavender so for me that's a positive therapeutic smell.

"Food is very important to me especially sweets and chocolate so I have got boiled sweets and Ferrero Roche- posh people's chocolate!

"I received this book of positive affirmations as a gift so I've put that in there as well."

Muhammad has also included sensory toys; photos of Bangladesh and a copy of The Qur'an.

Dr Rachel Chin is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist

Dr Rachel Chin, a consultant clinical psychologist at Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, believes using a kit can buy people time when they're feeling overwhelmed or struggling to cope with a situation.

She said, "It might be that someone is engaged in one-to-one psychological therapies and this is a technique you would bring out really early on with someone.

"It's quite a practical fun technique you can engage someone in and they're not dependent on you being with them 24- 7.

"So you can talk about techniques but then you have your self-soothe box you can use when they're not in therapy sessions as well."

Holly Dixon started Holly's Hopeful packages after receiving requests from friends and family

Holly Dixon started making her own self soothe kits when she was 12 and suffering from anxiety.Now she gets requests from all over the country for Holly's Hopeful Packages.

Holly told me, "I liked little bits and pieces. Things you could smell, taste, touch. Things that helped me calm down.

"I just wanted to help people on a larger scale as well as myself. So I started getting little bits in - like tissues, sweets, sensory toys, self care products.

"Obviously we do have to risk assess quite a few of the items especially if they are in an inpatient facility and what I think would really help them on their journey to recovery."

Over the past four years Holly's sent out hundreds of carefully made kits with personalised notes and motivational messages.

The 19-year-old, relies on donations and fundraising to cover the costs.

Holly Dixon has made self-care boxes for hundreds of people

Holly now works as a support worker but still spends several hours a week making her Hopeful Packages for people who contact her on social media.

She said, "The feedback has been really amazing. If I can help someone else it makes me feel proud of myself. It makes me feel a lot better."