Picture this, it's the middle of the work day, your calendar is full of meetings, instant messages pinging off left, right and centre, but you’re sitting in the corner of your office in tears because you’re worried the weird pattern of freckles on your arm is actually an unknown form of cancer that only you have. Yeah, that was me.
Anyone who has suffered from bad anxiety will know that when anxiety strikes hard, it can be difficult to pull yourself away and break the cycle.
This is why distraction techniques are so helpful, they involve completely removing yourself from your current situation by doing something that distracts your mind enough that it’s no longer able to think about the anxious thoughts.
This can involve changing your physical location, like going for a walk or, just doing something that distracts your mind, like listening to music, watching tv or playing a game.
The trick is to find enough energy to pull yourself away from the immediate situation and put yourself in a new one.
A distraction technique can be used to break the immediate panic or anxiety attack and then followed up with a different type of technique to further reduce anxiety, like a breathing or grounding technique.
Science Says So
Let me explain why this approach can’t fail.
As humans, we have a very limited capacity for simultaneous thought - we can only hold a little bit of information in our mind at any single moment.
You probably experience this more often than you realise. I’m sure you’ve been watching something great on Netflix whilst someone’s been nattering at you, then the inevitable “did you hear what I said?” follow-up. Well, now you know - science says it’s not possible for you to listen to both (and stories are proven to captivate our attention - more on that another time).
Distraction techniques work because it’s not actually possible for us to focus on two things at once, by focusing on a different task we can effectively take our thoughts away from the anxious ones.
Try This
One technique I’ve found particularly helpful, especially if you need a distraction at night whilst lying in bed, is the Alphabet Game.
- First, choose a theme or subject you're familiar with.
- Start with the letter "A" and think of a word or thing related to your theme that begins with it.
- Move onto "B" and do the same, continuing with each subsequent letter.
- It's totally okay if you get stuck on a letter. Just jump to the next one!
- The goal is to immerse yourself in the game, allowing your mind to temporarily shift focus.
- If you finish with "Z", you can either pick a new theme or give yourself a pat on the back and relax.
Top Tip
It helps to have a few go-to topics lined up in advance. A few I've used:
- Sports teams
- Countries
- Cities
Wrap Up
So, next time you feel a little overwhelmed, change your situation, find something else to focus on and distract your mind. That might be the Alphabet Game, or watching a video on YouTube or Netflix. Try a few different things to find what works best for you!