Distraction Techniques

[Aspasia]

Copied from our "Archive Forum" here: http://archive.dealingwithdepression...p?topic=5262.0

Not originally by me, all credit goes to the original posters!

Distraction is a huge thing whilst trying to deal with depression.

One of the things that has helped me and I never go anywhere without it is my Ipod. Especially as I travel by bus a lot of the times I found it helps drown out the noise of the other passengers.

Another thing I use is guided meditation Cd's to help me sleep .

So come on people add anything that helps distract you, and lets see if we can help each other.

[Aspasia]

Craft activities or phoning a friend if I am home alone and feeling vulnerable.

i've started downloading free podcasts from radio 4 . If I wake up early in the morning I can just put it on and it helps drown out all the crap buzzing around in my head

Photography is the only thing that seems to work.

I read books, I always bring books with me whenever I go, it helped me a lot I also bring my mp3 player it can be very handy if I don't have my books with me, and on weekends I do mindful meditation for 30 minutes and also I do yoga to help me relax.

I take my iPod, my phone and a book wherever I go. When I'm at home, I tend to kill a lot of time on the Internet, playing online games, or I watch DVDs to distract myself from my thoughts.

Doing a crossword is really great as I get a sense of achievement from doing it and it's some time when she can't criticise me.
iPods are great too but you have to spend some time engaging with people, but it is really great for ensuring that you have no distractions for a while.

Singing. It really works.

I loved my ipod but I dropped it last week and it's broken, can't tell you how upset I was with that.
I have got 350ish episodes of 'I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue' on mp3 I listen to which helps but I'm really getting through them at the moment.
I have been researching a friends family tree for a couple of weeks which helps but I've finished it now.
I have got in to the habit of taking a book in to work as well as my PSP to try to keep occupied, work is so boring though they don't have much impact.

Cross stitching, films, books, writing letters to friends (long letters), looking through photo albums. Also sad to say but cleaning... the sense of achievement after and knowing for example you have a very clean bed to get in at night.

Please guys, do lets add some more!

[Lostfriend]

playing and singing with my guitar .

[Aspasia]

For me it's getting lost in a good book, so lost the characters are more real than I am in a way. I find it helps because I can let my emotions out but sort of feel it's through them or for them, itms? I can cry and be happy and go through the range of emotions a good book provides, and it's very cathartic and lets me feel more emotionally stable when I close the book, as though I've sort of used up the surplus emotion in my system and am more on an even keel again. Is that odd?

I also used to enjoy, and am just getting into again, creating computer art such as forum signatures etc.

I also play games, I used to play a major online game but found it was becoming too much of a time sink and no longer healthy for me. Nowadays I tend to play lighter ones, and non-real time ones.

[Jarre]

I play MMORPG's to transport me into another reality, the final fantasy role play series I have played since the late 90's and I am able to loose myself in them which clears my head. I also like to watch comedy DVD's and videos especially from comedians who talk about real life i.e. Billy Connolly who i do see as an inspiration of how hes got to where he is from such a bad childhood but also because his comedy you can relate to its about real life and you find yourself thinking, "I am not the only one" For me the biggest "calming thign" is to loose myself in someones arms in a hug or snuggle its the only time I feel safe and at peace.

[Suzi]

Crochet
Reading
Cooking
Watching TV/Films
Talking to people!

[Angie]

Working
Making my art
housework

[Emmie]

lolcats
I enter lots of competitions, it has the upside of sometimes you win (every few hundred anyway!) so you get something!
Fantasy shopping in the ikea catalogue

[Aspasia]

http://pinterest.com/

^ be warned, it's so distracting it's potentially addictive sometimes, but it's *really* distracting!

[sidney]

Sometimes nothing will distract me - I try to avoid the news etc - this usually depresses me. I used to meditate, but now it makes me angry.If the depression is really bad I try pornography or booze. Music usually helps.