How Distractions can be Therapeutic

Distractions are one of my favorite ways to cope with stress. I don't mean avoiding all my problems and binging on ice cream and tv shows. Distracting myself with something I enjoy can help me reconnect with the present moment. 

Distractions are a tool used in CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) and DBT (dialectal behavior therapy). It is a healthy way to diffuse stress or a meltdown. 

DBT  uses ACCEPTS: 

Activities. Do an activity you enjoy taking your mind off of things before returning. 

Contributing. Help friends or family make dinner. Do something outside of yourself.

Comparisons. Think about where you were a year ago or longer. Be thankful for the things you have now that you wanted then. 

Emotions. Use emotions in music, books, or movies to deflect your own. If you are angry, try watching a comedy. 

Pushing Away. Temporarily remove your thoughts from the situation if it can't be solved at that moment. Sometimes we want to fix things right away or have an answer that is not there. 

Thoughts. Slow down your thoughts. You can bring yourself back to the present moment in a calmer way by focusing on the things around you. For example, how many objects are blue? This shifts your thoughts onto something else, momentarily allowing you to refocus. 

Sensations. Physical sensations are a powerful tool to shift from distress to feeling like things are manageable. You can go to the gym to get your heart rate up, hold ice, or take a hot or cold shower. 

Distractions will not fix the problems you are facing. They are a tool you can use to bring yourself to a better frame of mind to handle whatever obstacles come your way.

 It is always alright to step back from a stressful situation until you are mentally ready to handle it in a nonreactive way.