does anyone know anything about aromatherapy?

The Body Shop use to carry oils to burn in the home and for perfume. I'm not sure if they still do or not. The scent I use to buy from them was a Sandalwood Oil for perfume. It is an outdoorsy scent and to me is very calming.

There is also a candle called Fireside from White Barn Candle Co. I think you can purchase them at Bath and Body Works now. It has sandalwood in it and smells very good. There is also a Sandalwood Vanilla at Bath and Body Works. Currently burning it and I really like it. Not too heavy.

I like earth notes.

I think that's a great idea LittleArcher! I was a bit obsessed with aromatherapy when I was younger lol. Lavender is good for sleep..I also like orange for concentration and energy. I really like jasmine too but I forget what that's used for! You can get massage oils that are scented with different aromatherapy oils too-I got mine in a health food shop..health food shops are pretty good for that kind of stuff. I also found these really cool aromatherapy oils in a roll-on so if you're stressed, you can just roll it on your wrists and other pulse points. I also bought some really candles that were scented with different aromatherapy oils and they were great and not that expensive either. I think candles are great because they're very soothing plus they symbolise light which is great when you feel like you're in darkness..just to have that visual reminder there in front of you that there is hope, that things will be okay.

There are books on aromatherapy out there-you use different oils for different ailments so it might be worth reading one. If you're having a bath, then put a few drops in the bath. You can also do steam inhalation where you put a few drops of aromatherapy oil in a basin/sink in front of you along with warm water and then put a towel over your head-it's quite relaxing. Don't put pure aromatherapy oil on your skin neat-I think you have to mix it with a base oil but it's been so long since I've read about it that I'd have to read up again to find out exactly the process is again.

Incense is really nice too-I like an Indian incense called Nag Champa.

There is a Johnson's Baby Oil scented with aloe vera and another one scented with lavender and both are really nice. I love all the Johnson's Baby products anyways as they're so soft and gentle on your skin plus you can buy them in any supermarket pretty cheaply too. It's nice putting on Johnson's Baby Oil just after a shower when your skin is wet-it acts like a moisturiser..just wait a few minutes for the baby oil to soak in and then get dressed.

using your senses in general to regulate your mood/calm you down/etc is a fairly common self-soothing method. you can put a box together of things that stimulate each of your senses in a positive way. I can put together a list of examples if you have trouble thinking of things, I have a paper copy of a list somewhere around here that I can type up if you like

I tend to carry a number of self-soothing tools in my handbag. These are just things that work for me-thermos flask filled with non caffeinated herbal tea or else just a herbal tea bag because I can make myself a cup of tea at work. (I find chamomile tea great for relaxation and peppermint tea is nice too!) Scented lipbalm-I like vanilla lipbalms and also Burt's Bees lipbalms however there's loads of nice lipbalms out there too. Lipgloss is another nice one too-Lancome do the nicest ones however there's loads on the market. I also think make-up can serve as a distraction-say you feel bad, you can just go to the bathroom and reapply your makeup. Perfume also changes my mood in a good mood-if I want to feel sophisticated and put together, I'll put something like Chanel Chance perfume on at the start of the day whereas if I want to feel sultry, I'll put on something like Hugo Boss Deep Red or Dior Addict. Bodyspray is a good one too. Also a bottle of still water in my handbag too-I can take a sip of water if I feel stressed. I sometimes put prayers and/or inspirational quotes in my bag-just put something that is meaningful for you in your bag if at all possible. Sometimes I used to put success stories in my bags (ripped out of various magazines) so I felt demotivated, I could look at those success stories and think "I can do it too"-visual reminders are really helpful, I find. I read about a girl who has done DBT for her BPD and she put a small bottle of moisturiser in her handbag so when she felt stressed out, she could just moisturise her hands and then she calmed down. An ipod is a good one too but put soothing music on it-avoid anything depressing. Also pen and paper if you want to jot down a few thoughts or feelings too. A book or a magazine can be a good distraction too, especially if you're travelling on a bus/train and feeling bored.

serenity333 wrote:Incense is really nice too-I like an Indian incense called Nag Champa.

This is my favorite smell in the world!!!!!

Littlearcher, I hope this works well for you. I'm interested to hear how it goes and if it makes a difference. Self soothing with scents is a great tool to use. Depending on how it goes for you, I may have to look into it a bit more for myself.

I've always had an interest in using aromatherapy, so if it seems to work so much I'm definitely going to look into it more!

sorry it's taken me so long to post again! I was just consulting my self soothing list to help out a friend and realized I should get in here and type it up

some ideas for a successful sensory kit:

sight
pieces of paper or cloth that are your favourite colour
funny photos
pics cut from a magazine of someone or something you enjoy
bubble blowing kit to watch the bubbles float through the air
positive affirmations you've written to yourself with positive/encouraging comments
kaleidoscope

touch
travel-sized play dough or putty
soft objects
stress relief magnets, or stress balls
tactile beads
wood, metal, etc
rubber bands
smooth or rough stones
beanbags

taste
sour or hot candies
strong or favourite flavoured gum
strong, spicy mints
a favourite snack

smell
aromatherapy oils - lavender is a great one for soothing/calming
travel sized scented hand sanitizers
perfumes
menthol
scratch & sniff stickers

sound
clickers
CD with favourite songs, nature sounds, classical music, etc
music box
bells

so that's a decent jumping off point to get you started. I like the idea of putting together a small kit you can keep in your purse or whatever so you can access it anytime you need. especially of things most realistically accessible in most situations - most likely sight, touch, and smell.

hope that gives you some ideas.

That's an amazing list Rainbow-sprinkles! Thank you so much for sharing it! There are things I would have never thought of!

my pleasure! I'm glad you guys got something out of it

Thank you rainbow-sprinkles. there's a lot of useful things here!