Distraction Techniques

Here is a crisis survival strategy, which some of you may already be using if you are taking part in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). This particular strategy involves DISTRACTION as a way to help you tolerate painful events and emotions when you can't make things get better straight away.
The following strategy can be remembered with the term:

Distract with "Wise Mind ACCEPTS!"

In other words, you can distract with:

A: Activities
C: Contributing
C: Comparisons
E: Opposite Emotions
P: Pushing Away
T: Other Thoughts
S: Intense Other Sensations
Activities: Exercise
Hobbies
Cleaning
Going to events
Call/Visit Friends
Computer Games
Walking
Gardening
Art
Internet
Contributing: Contribute to someone
Volunteer work
Give something to someone
Make something nice for someone else
Do something surprising or thoughtful
Offer others support
Comparisons: Compare yourself to people coping the same
or less well than you.
Compare yourself to those less fortunate
Watch Soaps on TV
Read about disasters
Opposite Emotions: Read emotional books/stories/old letters
Go to emotional movie
Listen to emotional music
*Be sure the event creates different emotions
to the ones your are trying to distract yourself
from!*
Scary Movie
Joke Book
Comedies
Funny Records
Religious Music
Reading funny Greeting cards in shop
Pushing Away: Push the situation away by leaving it for
a while.
Leave the situation mentally.
Build an imaginary wall between you and
the situation.
Refuse to think about the painful aspects
of the situation.
Use your imagination to put the pain on
a shelf or to box it up and put it
away for awhile.
Physically take yourself away from the
situation by going out, i.e. shopping
or for a walk.
Other Thoughts: Count to ten
Count the colours in a tree, painting, etc.
Do some puzzles
Watch TV
Read
Intense Other Sensations: Hold ice in your hand
Squeeze a rubber ball very hard
Stand under a very hard shower
Listen to very loud music
Hug someone

Give these distraction techniques a go when you find yourself in a distressing situation. Some may work and some may not, but trial and error will help you find some effective coping mechanisms!

Love
Clare