Resource Distracting yourself

[azucaramargo]

It seems like you are better-equipped than ever to deal with any future bumps in the road. And you of all people are anything but powerless. My guess is that you will be pleased with and well-prepared for the future.

 

[Lefty]

Distraction is a good thing to keep the bad thoughts away. A hobby can be helpful. Building something or computer programming, some of these distractions can possibly even turn into careers. At the very least they'll keep you distracted.

 

[Painted Bird]

Drawing pictures (or other creative activity) is fun and a nice distraction.

 

[eve2004]

I have a lot of problems sleeping between hyper-vigilance and chronic sleep paralysis. Aside from chemical assistance like benzos, especially clonazepam, or K which work wonders, but can only ever a short-term solution (I've heard good things about THC as a more long-term solution, but it doesn't agree with me) I've found some good distractions include:

1. Listening to music (though sometimes this hypes me up and makes me not want to sleep)
2. Audiobooks (I hate them personally but I know some swear by them)
3. Watching movies or TV shows (again not for me, but I know it works for some)

The last two require a little more explanation. The first is more of a lifestyle change and is hardly a big secret, but regular exercise (especially working out just before bed) is something I do find helpful but I don't always have the motivation for it. Another is writing. Obviously you can't write while falling asleep, but when I'm working on a story I can mentally go over the scenes and dialogue I have and think about how I might change it or think over scenes I want to write. It's kind of like playing a movie in my head. Once you've committed even a page or two of a story to paper it's very easy to get lost in it.

What's worked for me sometimes is Candy Crush! I know this is an old game but yeah, I am still playing it. When I'm down to one more life only (pun not intended), I go back and repeatedly play the ones I know I'll win easily. I do this while waiting for the benzos to take effect...

 

[Tegan_sky]

I've distracted lately by sleeping a lot, yesterday I got escape by sleeping in the middle of the day, for five hours. After waking up I did some art for the first time in six months, posted it to social media, got zero responses as per protocol so often, and went into worse depression. For years and years the distracting has also been buying things, spending money, now, with depression turning suicidal again...I have tried buying things, and within a couple of hours the "rush" or content feelings from that distraction are long gone, and I know it. Like a suicidal kid sitting in the middle of their many toys and nothing can be done to uplift them.

 

[Baskol1]

I've distracted lately by sleeping a lot, yesterday I got escape by sleeping in the middle of the day, for five hours. After waking up I did some art for the first time in six months, posted it to social media, got zero responses as per protocol so often, and went into worse depression. For years and years the distracting has also been buying things, spending money, now, with depression turning suicidal again...I have tried buying things, and within a couple of hours the "rush" or content feelings from that distraction are long gone, and I know it. Like a suicidal kid sitting in the middle of their many toys and nothing can be done to uplift them.

So youre rich?

 

[Tegan_sky]

>>>So youre rich?

Been doing it for years since I had an ok paying job and low rent, and no car payment. Nowadays it's little knickknacks that don't cost much, wasted money at thrift stores, Now also use credit cards after an 8 year old bankruptcy, was able to get credit again. So there's all this junk charges, eating into the credit line, not maxed out but enough for me to get down on myself and say "why did you do this again?"

 

[catharticEscapism]

It's funny because I found this solution (distraction) when I was in my early teens and it worked really well for a long time, but mostly when my depression wasn't really severe. As time passed, however, my depression worsened and I became isolated from the things I'd do to distract myself. I couldn't muster the interest to play video games or to read or watch tv shows. Everything just became boring and, one by one, I lost my ability to distract myself and cope in one fell swoop.

So youre rich?

You don't have to be rich to do this. I did it too, but now I have crippling debt and no self control when it comes to money, lol.

 

[sad_frog]

Yes! I am always looking for ways to distract myself. I'm a commission animator and usually I'm distracted by that but if not I have secured a few hobbies in my life that I can easily switch between. For example I got this old 20gl tank so I cleaned it up, crafted decorations out of foam and bought a little Leopard Gecko. Then I became obsessed with making her the happiest gecko ever.... So I started raising feeder insects. Then the feeders were doing so well that I knew I could feed another animal off of it, so I got a Chubby Frog. I find myself always making updates to their tanks when I can. Animals are a good distraction if you have the money and do the research! Even though I'm sad and want to cry my little lizard is so happy eating a fat little bug I gave her, at least I can make something happy!

(something else that distracts me is this game I play in my head. When I'm having trouble keeping myself from dark thoughts I try to do something productive while voicing over it with a stupid TV announcer voice. Or I pretend I'm doing a really silly YouTube tutorial on it. Basically pretend I'm a TV personality. Makes me feel less alone and feel more open and expressive about my thoughts and feelings. It's a little silly but hey, whatever works, huh?)

 

[woxihuanni]

Nothing distracts me anymore.