distraction when anxious

[mandshere2000]

Hi
Looking for any suggestions of what to do when anxious
something to watch on maybe youtube just anything really
that you find helps you
Manda

[ankietyjoe]

Little game apps on my smartphone work well.

I also have a strategy where I'll lay down on the sofa and watch TV, which for some reason always works. Usually only needs 20 minutes or so.

[suki300]

The TV. I find when I start to feel anxious, I sort of have to recognise it, because my first thoughts are usually that I'm having a stroke or some other awful thing. when I've worked out that I am anxious, I try and tell myself I'll be okay. If I'm at home I just lie down on the sofa and watch TV and I usually end up forgetting that I am anxious.

When it was very bad, that was more difficult to do, but it has got easier.

[Kim51]

I do cross stitch and I find this distracts me as I really have to concentrate on the pattern, maybe something like this would help.
Kim:)

[Pete_uk]

hypnoses mp3 works for me

[Breezy]

Knitting works for me, as I have to concentrate to count. Counting things, organising things, watching a really good movie that takes me away, relaxing music, sometimes a 10 minute walk also helps as I'm switching environment. Oh ... and talking about how I feel - sometimes just telling someone I am feeling anxious out loud, helps take the level down.

[bexicles_82]

As a photographer I find that when I get to editing photos it helps me focus more on something else. I also like to play piano which helps calm me down as my brain has to work at playing the notes and reading the music unless improv, so anything creative I find helpful if I get bad. if I am so bad that I don't have the mental energy to do anything creative, I have a couple of apps on my Android phone for anxiety that I listen to, or put some calm music on and lie down for about 20 mins or so.
Bx

---------- Post added at 21:15 ---------- Previous post was at 21:14 ----------

If you're able to, a walk always helps too I find, amazing what a difference getting air can make even if it's just a short walk round the block:)

[debs71]

king.com......invaluable for me. You can play tons of games on there - card games, sports games, word games, you name it, they have it.

Crosswords, Sudoku, anything like that.

TV is also a good distraction and watching a good film or DVD - nothing depressing or scary but something funny, romantic or uplifting.

Exercise - you don't have to spend a penny for this. Tons of exercise videos and workouts you can watch on youtube that don't require equipment.

Listening to music with headphones on - very good for losing yourself in the music and bringing down anxiety.

xxx:hugs:

[Rennie1989]

I have a ton of distraction techniques!

Novel writing
Reading
Listening to music
Solving puzzles (word searches, suduko...)
Playing games on my laptop or smartphone
Writing a worry diary - often gets it off my chest
House work - sometimes it burns off the adrenaline
Watching funny videos on YouTube
Talking to people
Knitting

[mandshere2000]

Hi
Thanks to everyone for your replys, really do appreciate it
there's lots of suggestions I will try especially when the anxiety
wakes me in the night
Manda

[laura1200]

Might be a strange one but I always find painting my nails is a good distraction and has helped me calm down a few times. I try and watch TV but I just cannot relax so I have to get all my nail polishes out and start painting away haha. Reading is also good.

[Speranza]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=quads+laughing+at+dad&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&gws_rd=cr&ei=t11KUtiHFKPT0QXV4YDYBw

I've sent the search page cos there are some good links - and if you look up Matthias Quads you will see them as they are now.

Click on the 'Quads Laugh at Dad' video first, then on 'Next Day'. I can't tell you how many times I have watched this!

Incidentally they are identical quads, which I didn't even know was possible! They are extremely rare. I sometimes read up about them to distract myself. ;)

---------- Post added at 07:22 ---------- Previous post was at 06:31 ----------

Oh - and THIS is a lovely link - live footage of rescued cats and their kittens. Strangely hypnotic, just what you need during a bad anxiety jag!!

http://new.livestream.com/FosterKittenCam/TheArtificialIntelligenceFosters