When you are feeling well distractions are not necessarily needed. You don’t usually need to escape your own mind. It’s when your mind is so full of useless information and useless worries that you need the distractions. I know that stating what distractions you can use is evident; but like I’ve said before, saying and doing are two different things. I was talking with my shrink about this and he gave me a few ways to actually distract myself.
The ideas my shrink gave me were focus on colors, sounds, or people. The purpose behind the distractions is to focus your energy so that when something changes you come back to reality. My shrink also said to set up a “calling plan”. It sounds weird, I know, but here are the basics: get with someone who calls regularly and set up a plan that can bring you back to reality. I chose my mom. When my mood gets so far down I turn off my phone and hide away from the outside world. If my mom calls and cannot get a hold of me she calls my dad who then makes me take the phone call. It’s the little things that bring you back from the brink. So far I’ve been lucky not to need it, but I know that when I do, she’ll be there.
The other distractions – colors and sounds – are helpful too, but do not always pull you back to reality. I know that focusing on sounds doesn’t work for me; I just end up tuning them out. On the other hand, color does work for me. If I focus on red and it turns blue I have to re-focus; and that brings me back – makes my mind work again.
Other than those distractions, I write – as you can tell, – and I also color with colored pencils. I know that both of those distractions take focus, and when you don’t have focus you can’t really do them, but that is exactly the point – to force yourself to focus. Focusing on good stuff is what brings you back from the urge to hide away. It also keeps you from thinking suicidal thoughts. My suicidal thoughts aren’t because I want to die (because I don’t); they just come and go as they please. I’ve come to think of them as another person entirely – I don’t know why. I just try to push that person down and away.
Not all distractions work for everyone; it’s just a matter of finding the one or two that suit you.
"My suicidal thoughts aren’t because I want to die (because I don’t); they just come and go as they please. I’ve come to think of them as another person entirely..."
ReplyDeleteThat's a good way to view such thoughts.