Distraction Techniques for Depression

Distraction

is a particularly useful skill during times of crisis. So why might distraction be helpful for you right now?

Times of crisis come when we are faced with difficulties and problems of high importance to us. For example, the loss of an important relationship, the loss of a job, increased financial stressors and strain, threats to our accommodation or a combination of difficulties at the same time.

These difficulties will have an effect on us emotionally and activate us into thinking about the problems to find a resolution. The bigger the problem the more time we give to it and the more we will feel it.

  • Increased feelings of sadness, fear, dread, hopelessness, helplessness, defeat and/or entrapment.

  • Overwhelming emotional distress and/or pain.

  • Minds that are always switch on and thinking.

  • Singular focus on the problems and difficulties.

  • Circular thinking which does not lead to satisfactory resolutions.

  • A loss of interest, motivation, pleasure and enjoyment in other things.

  • Shut down, withdrawal and isolation.

  • Sleep disturbances (including not enough, too much or irregular patterns).

  • Numbness to our experience.

When we notice these problems emerging, it’s a good indicator that we need to take time away from thinking about our problems. This is not to say that we give up, forget about things or stop trying to find resolutions. Instead we are looking to protect ourselves from exhaustion and overwhelming emotional distress and pain.

Because we are primed instinctually to focus our attention and thinking on problems, not thinking about them is challenging. It can feel counter-intuitive and requires conscious effort to move our attention onto other things. Distraction is a good skill that can help us to achieve this. We’ve included some ideas for how to distract yourself below.

Ideas for how to distract

Below are some ideas for how to distract yourself

What can I do to help myself with anger and aggression?

Spend between 5-15 minutes doing one of the activities below. The outcome of each task is not important here. What is important is that we are using these tasks to focus our attention of something else other than our problems. By doing so we help the mind to detach from the difficulties we are faced with, reduce problems focus over-thinking and create moments away from the uncomfortable emotions we are carrying.

  • Make your own personal emoji.

  • Can you collect as many things as you can of things that have a special meaning to you? Take a photo of them and out them in an album.

  • Bake something if you can.

  • Try to go for a walk if you are able to.

  • Why not tidy your room or something in it? Take your time doing so.

  • Make a plan to go away for the weekend. Set a date and put it in your diary.

  • Find out what clubs and activities are on offer to you locally.

  • Write down the names of the films you have seen in alphabetical order.

  • Find and print photographs of your favourite people.

  • Find and print the lyrics of your favourite song.

  • Make a memory box of special events in your life.

  • Teach yourself how to make some origami figures.

  • Listen to an audio book.

  • Choose a quiet craft activity to do.

  • Do some light yoga stretches.

  • Organise your wardrobe

  • Rearrange things in your room

  • Try doing a jigsaw puzzle

  • Paint by numbers

  • Make a surprise gift for a friend

  • Start a scrapbook or Pinterest board

  • Play a card game such as solitaire

  • Play solo chess

  • Invent your own game

  • Read a comic book

  • Create your own comic book

  • Paint your finger and toe nails

  • Teach yourself some of the signs in sign language

  • Learn the art of calligraphy

  • Spend five minutes doing a workout

  • Write a poem

  • Start learning a new language, learn five new words everyday

  • Make a movie. Grab your smart phone and start filming

  • Plan your next holiday

  • Study a plan of your neighbourhood

  • Watch a sports programme on TV

  • Give your bedroom a mini makeover

  • Learn to play a new song on your musical instrument

  • Plan an event with friends

  • Create a ‘busy bag’ for the night with activities you can do

  • Try to focus on your breath. In through the nose and out through the mouth and let go of your thoughts with every out breath

  • Listen to music that reminds you of important and happy times in your life

  • Make a playlist for yourself or for someone important to you

  • Find a new show to watch on Netflix

  • Watch a video that you know will make you happy and LOL

  • Build somethings creative out of Lego

  • Watch or listen to a TED talk

  • Try to learn a new dance

  • Name a band, artist, album or song from A-Z

  • Tidy you room

  • Memorise the lyrics to a song

  • Try some new hairstyles on yourself or a friend

  • Try playing a new sport

  • Knit or make something with your hands

  • Do a jigsaw puzzle

  • Go for a swim

  • Look at some cartoons you like

  • Vacuum your room so that you can feel productive afterwards

  • Come up with as many names of food as you can for each letter of the alphabet

  • Watch funny videos on YouTube

  • Listen to a new genre of music

  • Find out the best new music releases this week

  • Focus on your senses – What do you smell? What do you see? What do you taste? What do you hear? What do you feel?

  • Recite a poem you like several times. Recite it out loud

  • Try a new hobby or tutorial

  • Make a smoothie from your favourite fruit

  • Find a pen and old sheet of paper and just ‘dot’ from one corner until you fill the whole sheet

  • Write or search for some inspirational quotes

  • Do some gardening

  • Read a newspaper/magazine article

  • Clear out your wardrobe

  • Rearrange the furniture in a room

  • Watch the clouds whilst lying outside

  • Go for a cycle

  • Visit a museum

  • Go to the library

  • Plan a meal and go to the shop and get the ingredients

  • Cook a meal the you have planned

  • See what free classes are on offer

  • Search from a group to attend on Meetup

  • Visit a garden centre

  • Take a bus ride somewhere

  • Learn to meditate, do yoga, Pilates or tai chi

  • Decorate a room

  • Sew or knit

  • Write an article to publish on a blog somewhere

  • Take photographs

  • Get an early night

  • Plan a healthy baseline routine

  • Learn how to self-massage

  • Take a bath

  • Write a list of things you have achieved, great and small

  • Write a list of things you would like to achieve, great and small

  • Make a plan on how to achieve something

  • Make a list of things you can be thankful for

  • Write a compassionate letter to yourself as you might do a friend. Open this at some point in the future

  • Call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while

  • Join a group

  • Look into volunteering

  • Phone the Samaritans or another helpline

  • Join an online support group or discussion forum

  • Email a friend

  • Scream, shout into a cushion or sing loudly

  • Dance

  • Go to the gym

  • Kick a ball against a wall