If certain thoughts or memories make you sad or anxious, you may want to find an outlet or something else to distract yourself from those things. By distracting yourself, you can distance yourself from negative or upsetting thoughts. Everyone has things that make him feel uncomfortable and maybe don't want to think about it. However, sometimes these thoughts can refer to a more serious condition such as anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress. Keep in mind that often the only way to deal with and feel recovered from the stress exerted by certain thoughts or events (e.g. violence, tragic accident, mental illness, etc.) is to talk to a mental health professional.. Start by tackling what makes you focus on those negative thoughts by trying to understand them.
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Method 1 of 5: Calming the Mind
Step 1. Keep a special journal
One of the reasons why it is sometimes difficult for a person to stop thinking about things is because he is constantly trying to erase those things from his mind. Unfortunately, this often only makes things more obvious and leads to unpleasant feelings such as guilt or shame (eg “Why can't I stop thinking about this?”). Therefore, it's a good idea to keep a journal to give yourself space to explore your feelings and thoughts, including feelings or thoughts that bring you sadness or anxiety.
- Journaling like this allows you to identify the thoughts and feelings that arise, and gives them space to remain. Take notes whenever you feel overwhelmed by things you don't want to think about. Write it down in a journal, then close the journal and do something else.
- Try to think about when the things you don't want to think about first appeared. Did something trigger it? What experiences or situations are associated with these? Do these things interfere with your daily life?
- Journal writing can improve mental stability by decreasing or reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. In addition, journaling like this helps you in getting an idea of unpleasant thought patterns, as well as understanding things or situations that have the potential to trigger these unpleasant thoughts.
- Journaling about unwanted thoughts can bring back buried memories. If you have experienced violence or a difficult childhood, only journal with the help of a therapist.
Step 2. Don't let anything run through your mind
This happens when you think about something over and over again. Generally, the thought is in the form of (or includes) negative thoughts and anxiety. When you feel the need to distract yourself from these thoughts, you've probably been letting them swirl around in your mind. It is important that you stop it because this habit is closely related to major depression. There are several ways you can do to break the habit:
- Look for other things that can increase or raise self-esteem. You may constantly think about something that is considered a weakness because you consider it a big part of your self-concept and identity. In addition to these weaknesses, try to see and bring up other things that you consider to be your talents or strengths. This way, the criticism you get (both from others and yourself) won't be so stressful for you.
- Solve the problem little by little. If you keep thinking about a problem, take steps to solve it. While it may seem overwhelming at first, if you break a big problem down into smaller pieces, you can solve them one by one more easily. After that, the problems you face will not seem complicated.
- Missing expectations or standards that are too extreme. Some people always expect 100% perfection or effort shown by themselves or others. In fact, this is an unreasonable and too hard-to-reach expectation that makes it difficult for you to adapt to life's challenges. If you feel that way, you may feel down or upset when your standards are not being met. Try retraining yourself to create more reasonable and more attainable expectations, both for yourself and for others. Remember that no human is perfect.
Step 3. Do mindfulness meditation
Having awareness makes you pay more attention to what is happening right now. Mindfulness meditation is an exercise to pay more attention to what is in the present moment. Its purpose is to slow down your thoughts and make you pay more attention to the things that keep popping up in your mind.
- For beginners, choose a quiet place with few distractions. Sit comfortably, either on a chair or on the floor (use pillows for a softer feel). Cross your legs (if sitting on the floor). Straighten your body and place your hands on your thighs. Breathe in deeply, inhale through your nose and out through your mouth. Focus on the breathing you are doing-only the breath. If you start to get distracted, simply identify what caught your attention and then return to focusing on your breathing.
- For starters, try doing this mindfulness meditation for about 5 to 10 minutes before you extend your meditation time.
- Some types of mindfulness meditation encourage you to focus solely on your breath, while others encourage you to recognize the thoughts that are running through your head. To determine which type of meditation works best, visit the Greater Good website.
Step 4. Keep practicing and practicing mindfulness in all your activities
A great way to stay focused on work and prevent your mind from being filled with negativity is to practice mindfulness regularly. This can be a very effective step to reduce the build-up of 'burden' in the mind and relieve anxiety.
- When you wake up in the morning, breathe deeply and quietly. Do light stretches and think about the effect they have on your muscles and joints. Drink a glass of water and pay attention to the temperature and consistency of the water, as well as the sensation you feel when water passes through your esophagus. Stay aware of every activity you do throughout the day, such as bathing, brushing your teeth, eating, driving, working, and so on.
- As you engage in activities throughout the day, refrain from negatively judging your mindfulness practice or letting your mind wander. When you start to feel unfocused, go back to the activity at hand and think about how the activity affects each of your senses.
Method 2 of 5: Be Creative
Step 1. Try writing, drawing, or painting
Use your hands and imagination to create. By being creative, you can maximize the qualities of yourself and give positive feelings about what you do to pass the time. In addition, several studies have shown that creativity can increase cognitive flexibility and problem-solving ability. Therefore, exercising creativity can help you find solutions to the problems you face.
Step 2. Try cooking or baking a cake
If you enjoy cooking or baking cakes, these activities can be a great distraction to keep you from thinking about unpleasant things. Preparing meals can bring you the 'thrill' of success and build confidence. What's more, you can share your creations with others to spread happiness around you.
One precaution to consider when engaging in activities such as cooking or baking cakes is not to turn them into unhealthy behaviors that encourage you to overeat to relieve a bad mood or distract from things that are upsetting you. Bring other people along when you cook to reduce the likelihood of you eating emotionally-as well as to help you clean your utensils after use
Step 3. Try playing a puzzle
Games such as puzzles are often used in educational therapy because they require focus, patience, and creativity. These riddles can help distract, manage distracted thoughts, and solve problems by providing motivation. Therefore, puzzles can be interesting temporary distractions as you need to concentrate on completing the game.
- Find the type of puzzle that you like and that can keep you focused on the game. Crosswords or Sudoku are the most common type of puzzle to play and easy to get.
- If you like putting things together or putting things together, you can try a jigsaw puzzle. After the pieces of the picture are successfully put together into a single picture, you can feel the satisfaction and success.
- There are many apps or websites that offer puzzle games so you can divert your attention in a healthy way by playing the game anywhere.
Method 3 of 5: Using Entertainment as a Diversion
Step 1. Try watching television or a video from a DVD
Watch a funny TV show or movie. Jokes are a pleasant distraction from negative thoughts or memories. However, be aware that excessive television viewing is a passive behavior that can be associated with decreased lifespan and obesity.
- Don't eat snacks while watching TV because you can eat them without thinking about limiting the number of snacks you can eat, and make you feel worse.
- Try to balance the activity of watching television with other physical activities such as watching television while exercising using a treadmill or elliptical trainer machine. If you don't have such exercise equipment, you can do a short workout when an ad is shown on television or every 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 2. Listen to music
Since the first time humans knew how to create it, music has been used to convey feelings. Research also shows that music is useful for reducing stress and providing relaxation.
- Music with a tempo of 60 beats per minute can encourage brain waves to match their movements or activities to the beat of the music so that you feel calm.
- Although people generally think that only 'soft' music such as classical, jazz, or new age music can have a calming effect, recent research shows something different. Research shows that by listening to very loud metal music, listeners can process anger and return to positive feelings (and even get inspired). The most important thing is that you listen to the type of music that suits you best. Listen to the kind of music that you enjoy and that can make you feel connected to it.
Step 3. Surf in cyberspace
The use of computers within certain limits can provide pleasure and a feeling of calm. On the internet, you can play games, browse products for sale such as clothes or accessories, communicate with old friends via social networks, read interesting articles on topics you are passionate about or write articles for wikiHow. Don't forget to pay attention or record how long you spend using the computer.
Research shows that watching television for more than two hours (for children) has the potential to cause health problems and trigger weight gain, aggressive behavior, and disrupted sleep patterns. Try limiting the hours you watch television and spending more time with friends or family, or taking walks
Step 4. Try reading a book
Find an interesting novel, comic book, or magazine to keep you focused. Relaxing reading activities can be a way to 'escape' for a while from the daily grind so that you can increase your creativity and imagination. Reading can also improve cognitive skills and enrich vocabulary.
Make sure you choose reading material that is light or entertaining, not reading material on certain topics that might make you think about things you really want to avoid
Method 4 of 5: Doing Physical Activity
Step 1. Go to the gym
Exercise can help relieve anxiety and stress by releasing endorphins, natural hormones the body produces to boost or improve mood. Several studies have shown that people feel better after doing aerobics (with moderate levels, not vigorous aerobics). So if you ever need to distract yourself from something you don't want to think about, put on your sneakers and go for a run, or head to the gym to lift weights.
Step 2. Try gardening
To distract yourself, try gardening. Plant trees, edible plants or flowers to decorate your home or yard. Gardening can give you three advantages. First, being outdoors can increase positive feelings and reduce stress. Second, the expenditure of energy or physical strength required when gardening can produce endorphins that make you happy and help prevent obesity. Finally, if you grow herbaceous or edible plants, you can save money and ensure that the food you eat is healthy and nutritionally balanced.
Step 3. Take a warm bath
Research shows that taking a warm bath can reduce anxiety. This means that simply feeling warm (physically) can make you feel calmer and, in fact, more socially oriented. Focus on the sensation you feel when you shower (either bathing or showering). Feel the water touching your skin, and the warmth that surrounds you. Take a deep breath. Let the experience be a mindful exercise in noticing and enjoying pleasant sensations.
Adding a few drops of lavender oil to the water you use for bathing or bathing can also make you feel more positive and calm
Method 5 of 5: Spending Time With Others
Step 1. Call or visit friends or family
Regardless of how far or near they live, whenever you need a healthy and positive diversion from the unwanted, you can try contacting friends or family. You can also let them know in advance why you're contacting them (to distract from certain topics) so they don't bring it up.
- If your friends, parents, relatives, or loved ones live in an area close to where you live, arrange a time to meet them. Go enjoy nature together, watch television, play bowling, swim, or do a hobby that you both enjoy.
- Spending time with other people not only makes you feel happy, it can also prolong your life. Researchers compared loneliness to tobacco use or consumption and found that both were harmful to both physical and mental health.
Step 2. Play with pets
When you can't call or visit friends or family, spending time with your pet can be a nice distraction. Keeping and interacting with pets, especially cats and dogs, is associated with reduced depression and a longer lifespan. Also, if you take your dog for a walk to the park, you get the necessary physical activity by walking a few rounds or throwing a Frisbee for your dog to catch.
Step 3. Participate in volunteer activities
Visit where you need help and give your skills and time to the problem that needs to be solved. Not only will this distract you, but it will also make you realize that there are people in worse situations, animals that need help, or the environment that needs improving.
Participating in volunteer activities also provides many benefits for your health. Volunteering can keep you from feeling lonely and depressed, and can make you more connected to the people around you. Research shows that people who participate in volunteer activities with a genuine intention to help others (eg wanting to help others rather than focusing on themselves) tend to live longer
Tips
Make sure you're surrounded by positive people and take up hobbies that you enjoy to keep away from the things you don't want to think about
Warning
- If your distraction actually encourages you to exhibit unhealthy behaviors such as overeating, drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs, try seeing a doctor or mental health provider who can help you develop healthier strategies for dealing with your thoughts. Negative thoughts or existing sources of stress.
- Continuous boring thoughts can be a sign of an obsession associated with obsessive compulsive disorder. In addition to compulsive behaviors such as checking or doing something over and over again, this disorder is also characterized by obsessions such as excessive anxiety, worry, or fear. It's a good idea to visit a doctor if these symptoms match what you feel or experience.
