Delay and distract
Set a timer for 15 minutes and commit to waiting. Use that window for cold water on the face, intense exercise (jumping jacks, sprints), a strong sensory anchor (ice, peppermint, loud music), or contacting one person. Urges usually weaken once the wave crests.
Alternatives that mimic intensity
Snap a rubber band on the wrist. Hold ice. Take a very cold shower. Draw on skin with red marker. These are not solutions — they are bridges to a safer minute, while you build longer-term support.
Longer-term care
Self-harm is often a way of coping with overwhelming emotion. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Mentalisation-Based Therapy (MBT) have strong evidence. A GP or mental health team can help arrange the right pathway.