Looking After Yourself

Your sense of safety, self worth and control over your life is hugely important in making your recovery.

There is a range of things you can do to care for yourself and to recover a sense of safety, self-worth and control over your life. These can include:

Ensure that you are as safe as possible. If necessary or possible move house, maybe change the locks on the doors (you can contact your local Police Station for advice)
Recognise that recovery will take time. Give yourself that time to grieve the loss of the relationship and the hopes and expectations you had of it.
Accept that there are going to be good days and bad days. Think about ways you might deal with the bad days. If there continue to be more bad days than good you might be experiencing depression and it’s advisable to seek help from your G.P or a professional counsellor.
Talk about your feelings. You could talk to trusted friends or family or to a professional counsellor. You can talk to staff at the Scottish Domestic Abuse Helpline anonymously.
Continue to use professional support services. If you’re seeing a counsellor then keep seeing them after the relationship has finished.
Do things to spoil yourself. It’s important that you practice looking after yourself. Think about things that make you feel happy and put time and (if necessary) money aside to do them.
If you lost contact with friends or family during the relationship make contact with them again.
Make new friends by joining an LGBT or other support group. You could think about getting a new hobby or get into playing sport or take a class at a nearby college or education centre.