im ok in the garden, but thats as far as i can get x
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im ok in the garden, but thats as far as i can get x
Knitting and reading I find are wonderful time-wasters
(nod) Couldn't agree more. I find it great for procrastination, had never really thought of it as a 'distraction' when I'm feeling low though ....perhaps actually baking all the yummy stuff I pin would be good too!
I have found that FB and chatting at times helps to distract me. Mostly though as of lately, I have been using my beading to help. Its calming and fun. It also makes me feel like I have accomplished something.
Coloring. It's a soothing and repetitive activity for me.
nothing REALLY helps distract me, but I found things to do that give me strength to go on..
~So really, what "helps me" is, clean my apartment (it's become something I look forward to do.. "clean house, clean soul"- so they say!!)
~Draw and paint gives me the opportunity to express my feelings..
~play with my dog and go for walks with her
~friends can help me be distracted in some ways sometimes by being around me and doing things with me
One for helping you calm down, that will give you a few moments of solid concentration on something else, is to learn to juggle. The Japanese believe that only the Samurai have the skill it takes to juggle. It takes 100% concentration, so if you feel yourself "loosing it" it can be a great way to distract yourself for five minutes. Several years ago I worked with homeless people. I taught many of them to juggle so that I could use it when they got frustrated and angry.
If you want to learn start with one ball. Throw it from one hand to the other and back, in an ark that peaks in front of your eyes. Watch the top of the arc and learn to catch the ball without watching it into your hand. Then go to two balls. Throw the first from one hand, when it is just past the apex of its arc throw the second in a mirror arc of the first. Practice this until you can throw and catch repeatedly. Then introduce the third ball, As ball 1 starts to fall, just past its apex throw ball two from the other hand. As ball two starts to fall throw ball three from the first hand. It will take you a while but it isn't hugely difficult. Once you get this going there will be no stopping you. Heavier balls can be thrown higher which slows the process down. That technique is called a "3 Ball Cascade". Odd numbers are all juggled on this principal. Even numbers are a different technique (two per hand). If you practice the goal is more than 12. No one has ever been able to juggle more than 12 items.
Cheers,
A.
I watch foreign TV shows with English titles that force me to pay attention to what I am looking at. Keeps my mind from wandering into dangerous places. Binge foods help a little, but the end result makes me feel worse so I try not to go that way. Arts and crafts really help show me what I am feeling, and I have all kinds of mediums that I mix and match at whim
I enjoy cooking and running the dogs.
Recently, I have become obsessed with minesweep and spider solitair!! I can concentrate on that and stop worrying about other things.
I started cross stitching to help distract my mind. I also started a blog about my depression, bipolar and PTSD and the things I am learning in therapy to help me.
It really depends on how down I'm feeling sometimes the things I think will be hard to face and make me feel worse actually do the opposite. For example I was sitting watching tv with my flat mate feeling secretly terrible.. Then he said everyone's coming round to watch the football soon.. I was dreading it thinking I'm going to be an anxious mess but actuality the opposite happened.. We had a gd laugh and my mood completly lifted.
Then start there. Make that your outside "happy place". I also am without friends. Alas, my problem is that I have pushed most of them away. If you like to garden, go on Pintrest. You can find things for your garden, things to do in your garden, and things that you may never do, but that can be your "fantasy garden". Baby steps! I live in the US in Illinois. We had a Super Walmart open and the first time I went there I had a massive panic attack and had to leave. Since it's open 24 hours a day, I try to go very early in the morning or late at night. Never on the weekend. I also do the same when I shop for groceries. "Happy places" can be anywhere or anything. Your snakes are your happy place. One of my happy places is a gas station that has a cappuccino machine. It has my favorite flavor. Over the years, I have lost a lot of my happy places (distractions). I used to love to read. That's gone. There are a ton of other things that are gone, so I try to find other little things that can be a new "happy place".
I don't call them distractions, I call them my "happy places". (nod) Computer games (hidden objects ones are my favorite because I really have to concentrate), Pintrest, facebook, TV shows. Depending on how I'm feeling, cooking or baking makes me feel better.
Some very interesting suggestions here, although I was a bit taken aback by the judgemental replies regarding porn as a distraction. It doesn't work for me, but the last thing I would do is impose my opinion on someone else who does find it useful as a tool. I left Facebook because there were too many negative downsides (for me). I own over twenty guitars and have hardly been able to pick one up in the last five years. I have a dog who is lucky if he gets out for a walk more than once or twice a week. I can't concentrate long enough to read a menu in McDonalds, let alone a book or magazine. Being around people works for a very short period - it doesn't take much to send me into either stress or anxiety around people, and even in the midst of a huge crowd, I am still alone and lonely, as well as stressed and anxious. The very thought of turning every activity as therapy, and evaluating it as such is incredibly depressing. Maybe I am really just a lost cause, after all.
Sydney,
lmfao, thought i hit booze to drown sorrows and the bad music i was playing, am male and single so porn goes with out saying lol, keep on rockin in the free world : )
I was in work and thought of sydney's earlier post made me laugh again, Distraction techniques for males beer, porn and music lol
I always find checking that my animals are ok takes my mind off things
I like hidden chronicles as a distraction when things get to much on Zynga
I read, if I can manage to hold the words in my head and not re-read the same page multiple times
I blog, it started out to document my migraines so I had the information and has fine in from there, I now have a blog for depression, a blog for my poems (not happy ones I'm afraid) and a random blog, tat I hope to build on if I get better
I found that if I can just stop myself from thinking! I can get by for that amount of time.
Sorry cant see an edit and wanted to apologise for the typo I saw after posting. Should say has gone on from there.. My auto correct on phone is worse than I am!
Dont worry about the odd typo x
Never worry about typos! :)
A man I was talking to about depression said the way he bet it was exercise, doesn't matter what form just go out and expand the lungs, get oxygen in to the blood as it feeds the brain, a 15 min walk clears the head from thought, even if its raining, get out and do something, walk the dog, if you dont have a dog borrow one. There are children dying in countrys that would rejoice at seeing rain. Dont make excusses,,! He spoke the truth, it helped me a lot, must say thanks Bob.
For me it is computer games and documentaries.
I also read a lot of factual stuff, always online and never books. Stuff about history, science and conspiracies. I find that stuff fascinating. Especially when you read different theories on different things.
I find soaps, Hollywood films with the "happy ending" or love story and most of todays pop culture brings my mood down.
Exercise is my most recent distraction with the added bonus that I seem to be fitter than I have ever been. I have always used walking to improve my mood but more strenuous exercise seems to help burn off some of the bad feelings.
Cycling off road in the dark, I recommend using good lights though, you'll be concentrating so hard everything else in the world will go away.
Climbing, when on the wall and climbing well I'm so focused it's just me and the wall nothing else.
I use my mp3 player, a lot, first thing I do every morning is put my earphones in.
Reading sometimes works, I can't always just sit and read though so find short stories work better for me.
YouTube, I spend far too much time on YouTube, but is good for discovering new bands through the recommended videos.
Zumba I get lost in it if could find a class each day I would
i do very little. I feel my depression is new so i have not found a distraction.
I lie in bed most of the time and think.
I Do listen to music a lot. Deep purple mostly.
Lying in bed is not going to be helping you at all love...
That's true, I used to do that when my kids were small. Once they were old enough to go to school on their own, when hubby was at work I'd go back to bed. Often when he was there in the mornings (he worked shifts) I'd lie in bed while he got the kids ready and wouldn't get up til the afternoon. It does you and eveyone round you no good at all, honestly.
Do nothing for 2 minutes (http://www.donothingfor2minutes.com/) is peaceful and relaxing, I have used it a few times since finding it late last year and it helps. It's quite nice to just listen to the waves and be calm for a couple of minutes.
Other than that, things that require concentration are often good distraction techniques :) crafty things such as knitting, painting, or drawing are great as you tend to be completely focused on what you are doing and nothing else (with the added bonus of creating something unique and lovely). Exercise is also good for distraction, but from time to time you don't feel like moving around at all. To get around this I put on my 'happy songs' playlist (full of bouncy, happy music, or cheesy crap, anything that makes me smile) and do something like cleaning or just playing with my dog in time with the music. It gets me moving soon enough and trying to concentrate on working to the beat of the music is great (even if it makes me feel really silly!).
I've recently taken up fishing (7 months ago) and have found it soooooo theraputic. I find it clears my mind completely of crap, and even when my concentration is akin to that of a gnat I can concentrate on fishing as it's so involving. The other big plus is it gets me outdoors, which is good in the dark winter months as I get to experience much more daylight than I otherwise would with the resulting benefits to health and happiness. I only wish I'd done it years ago, especially as I live on a narrowboat!
i find that talking and interaction with people can help,and also going somewhere busy,such as the gym etc etc and getting an endorphin high.But then again,sometimes a good ol cry can help too!!
Keeping myself around positive people, knitting, planning for the summer holidays
Lolcats is aaalways going to cheer you up! I don't care how down you are, you will at the least crack a smile. Buzzfeed is good for that as well as Humortrain.
Otherwise, I love getting lost in a good book as well, there is nothing so wonderful as getting lost on a completely different planet, time and life.
I also like to write, it's good to get some of the cobwebs out in the mornings and that helps me set up for the day.
I love lolcats (rofl) - I oftwn have difficulty concentrating to read when depressed .... on the other hand as a general rule of thumb my solution to almost any problem for as long as I can remember has been 'buy a book'
As you might imagine... I've got a lot of books ;)
x
I have an iPad and follow a site called freedigitalreads.com. Every few days it sends you a list and links to free books in the Amazon kindle store. I now have thousands of books I've yet to read ......
this 'time to talk' campaign is right in saying that a cup of tea and a chat can be lifesaving. i was feeling terrible yesterday and was awake until 7 this morning but then my bro came over and we had a cuppa and I'm feeling really good now (rofl) i don't even feel bad that i have to go to work for 6 hours which was unthinkable not long ago. sending big hugs and good vibes to all of you. much love (bear)