Distraction to help anxiety

[Panic33]

Anyone got any good ones they can share to distract from anxiety.


Physical exercise
Mental exercise
Things to focus on

[miss_moose]

When i'm feeling anxious, i put a dvd on (Friends), it's my comfort dvd, infact i put of on at night to go to sleep, then if i wake up in the night it;s an instant comfort.

Reading magazines/books helps, but for me personally i do puzzle books. Nothing to hard, infact i like those Quiz Kids and picture arrow words when i'm having a panic because they still make you think but they arent difficults, and they are colourful.

I also bought some play dough (i sound like such a kid:D) but i keep it in my handbag and just play with it, or squeeze it and use it like a stress ball, it's better than a stress ball though because you can do more will it, and change the size of it to suit your hands.

I have just bought a phone so i could download games and play with it if i'm away from home, i get very panicky everytime i leave the house, so if i go in a shop, i can play tic tac toe, do a maths work out.
If i'm home i play games on the computer, just internet ones, to keep my mind ticking over and calm down.

[cookie10]

miss moose,I'm totally with you there with the play doh, it's a great stress reliever, my daughter doesn't get a look in :) .......
I find that doing crosswords is a good distraction too....
My partner bought me a Wii Fit for christmas, so looking forward to getting to grips with that !!!

[ditzygirl]

Put your fav music on, or you fav film!!!

[Anxious_gal]

I LOVE Friends, it's one of the few things I can tolerate when I'm really anxious!

my Ipod helps as it has music, games and movies on it.

cleaning is good! I once cleaned the bathroom in my hotel when I was anxious to sleep, even though it was already clean it gave me something to do.

going for walks are great.

even just reorganizing like your book shelf or cds, dvds in order is good for distraction.

I guess the point is to take your attention away from yourself and anxiety.

[ChrisK]

Comics.
Magazines
Books
Movies
T.V.
Food (especially the ones rich with vitamins to counter the stress-impact)
Aromatherapy, lit candles with fragrance.

[miss_moose]

I LOVE Friends, it's one of the few things I can tolerate when I'm really anxious!

Me too!:D it's the only thing i watch when i'm panicking. Nothing else will calm me down.

[BKF1515]

I have DVDs which I watch and they really help my anxiety at night. I watch the same ones over and over while doing something like folding laundry or ironing. I like Friends too but my favourites are Miss Marple and Midsomer Murders. LOL

[Captain Caveman]

Hi. I personally don't think distraction helps with anxiety. It's good to be occupied during the day, but there is a difference between acknowledging your anxiety/panic and then choosing to not let it stop you from accomplishing what you intend, versus noticing you are anxious/panicing and then trying to avoid having anything to do with the thoughts/symptoms - which is what I would call distraction.

[westofengland]

yeah i agree with a lot that's been said here. I find exercise and sleep and alcohol are the best distractions, but alcohol's obviously not great as i feel more depressed afterwards. And it makes no sense for someone with HA to be damaging their health through too much booze. I do find moderate drinking a relief though

I have started running again and that's brilliant, though i am worried (ha ha) about my sore calfs (as in the legs :). I think bugger it though, I only run three miles on Saturday and Sunday and I'll live with it.

I joined a gym too and do martial arts

I agree with Captain Caveman though I think the real art is just to accept the scary thoughts (I have cancer, the kids have cancer, etc, it's all my fault) so they pass, rather than compulsively acting on them

[scaredstiff695]

hi

i love to laugh when im feeling anxious sounds strange but anything down to someone telling me a joke or a funny film or tryng to think of something funny. If im out and anxious i try to just laugh x

also reading i good and cleaning both very good ways.

westofengland just a bit of advice from you if thats ok. im doing cbt and they have said similiar think that not to let the thoughts have any value in your head do you have any tips on this?

[JavaJoy01]

I carry my Iphone and Ipad around and I have distracting games on them both for when I get anxious.

I also have a salt water tank at home. I enjoy watching all the colorful fish swim, as well as the sway of the corals.

[westofengland]

Hi Scared Stiff
I'm no expert! My problem is putting into practice what my therapist says.
But all the books I have read suggest that we can make some progress if we just recognise negative thoughts and feelings for what they are, rather than necessarily the 'truth.'

We get into trouble when we give the negative thoughts too much credence and importance rather than just allowing them to pass. If we compulsively act on the negative thoughts - Googling, self checking, rushing to the doctor - we may get some reassurance in the short term but it feeds the anxiety in the long term

It's hard but worth a try? What do other people think?

[scaredstiff695]

yeah, i mean my cbt said that its about a belief that we drill into our minds and we have to take out the belief. mines dying ha i now no i wont die but still run from a panic so guess im still feeding it x

[JohnBliss]

For me letting those anxious thoughts come and go is the best medicine but it does take practice when you've got used to dwelling on them. If they do get the better of you and you feel the dreaded panic attack building I find that I can stop it by willing it to happen and do its worst.
For some reason this really does work but again it needs practice
Hope you find something that works for you
Regards
John

[Captain Caveman]

Good post John.

If you have a yucky thought & accompanyting symptom and your reaction is to try and find something to take your mind of it (avoidance/distraction) you are going to make it harder the next time around. You are sending the message to your brain that there is real danger here. Allow the thoughts to come and go. You can also turn up the heat like John mentioned and try and make things worse. Bottom line is that you don't want to be resisting. Allow things to pass over. Then your confidence grows.


all the books I have read suggest that we can make some progress if we just recognise negative thoughts and feelings for what they are, rather than necessarily the 'truth.'

The problem I have when I read that advice by specialists is that many highly anxious are fully aware that it is pretty absurd what they are thinking, but they can't stop. If people could simply recogize the thoughts for what they are, then there wouldn't be a problem. (Then there is the higher end of the scale where people suffer from "Over Valued Ideation" , in which they lose the ability to see the irrational nature of their rituals.)

Trying to out logic/rationalize the thoughts can be futile. Allowing for the possibility of my fear and leaving room for ambiguity and letting thoughts/symptoms pass is what got me better. Trying to convince myself that such a thought is not real or isn't the truth simply resulted in a "but what if.....?" Imagination is limitless.


We get into trouble when we give the negative thoughts too much credence and importance rather than just allowing them to pass. If we compulsively act on the negative thoughts - Googling, self checking, rushing to the doctor - we may get some reassurance in the short term but it feeds the anxiety in the long term

Yep, spot on. Short term relief, but long term suffering.

[blue moon]

Hi.
i do exercise mainly yoga and walking as i find this is my distraction.Also I have time out each day just to do relaxation and breathing exercises.I do not google any symptoms,my hubby is a doc,so i just refer to him.
Petra x