Unstress

What do you need?

Everything in unstress, reached by what is actually happening rather than by what it is called. Pick whichever is closest — nothing here is stored, and you can pick again.

What is going on right now?

If none of these is it: breathing is a reasonable first move for almost anything, and a check-in gives the day a number to look back on. If things feel worse than usual, the support resources below are always here.

If being gentle has stopped working
The right move changes. Stepping back is exactly right when you are running on empty — the rest is what pays the debt back. It is the opposite of right when you have started steering around something frightening, because each time you steer around it, the fear gets a little more convincing. Same action, opposite effect, and only which one you are in decides. If gentleness has stopped helping, that may be the reason — not a sign you are doing it badly.

These are ordinary, widely-taught self-help practices, described in our own words. They are not medical advice and not a treatment, and none of them has to work for you. If something here feels wrong for you, it probably is — leave it.

If you feel at risk of harming yourself or someone else, or if you feel unable to stay safe, contact emergency services or a local crisis line immediately.

In an immediate emergency — if you or someone else is in danger — call your local emergency number now (112 in the EU, 911 in the US, 999 in the UK).