Distraction Strategies

Feelings of anger, stress, sadness and anxiety can be hard to manage and cope with in the moment and can often lead to rash decisions. Distraction strategies or techniques can be used to help manage a range of uncomfortable emotions you may experience in their day-to-day life. 

So, what is a distraction strategy? 

The purpose of distraction strategies is to temporarily take your mind off this uncomfortable emotion so that it can be dealt with when you feel more in control of your thoughts and actions. These distraction strategies may give you time for the emotions to decrease in intensity so you can manage and handle the situation at hand better.  Below are some ideas and games on how to distract yourself: 

-       Alphabet categories game: This is a game where you choose a category (i.e., Countries of the world) and you go through the alphabet naming everything you can for that category (Australia, Belgium, China etc…) 

-       Colour game: Pick a colour and name everything you can see around you that is the chosen colour OR, You could pick a colour and count how many things you can see that is the chosen colour 

-       Mindful colouring 

-       Play a fun game on your phone 

-       Binge watch a TV series on Netflix or your chosen streaming site

-       Listen to your favourite songs or create a playlist with all your favourite songs. 

Some other great distraction strategies including grounding techniques, exercise and breathing techniques. To read the benefits of exercise on mental health click the link here. If you click the links attached you can read about grounding techniques and breathing strategies which can also help take your attention away from uncomfortable feelings. 

It is important to note that distraction strategies are only meant to be temporary. It is important not to avoid these uncomfortable feelings and to manage them once you’re feeling more in control. If you think you need extra support in managing your emotions or dealing with uncomfortable emotions, feel free to contact us on 8838-8687 or book an appointment online and come in to see one of our friendly Psychologists.