Distraction Techniques for Anxiety: Harmful or Helpful?

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Do you ever try to distract yourself from your anxiety? There are many ways you can do this, but only some are actually productive methods of minimizing anxiety. Others can make it worse in the long run. In this video, I discuss whether or not distraction is a healthy practice for anxiety, what types of distraction to pursue, how often to use these techniques, and how distraction is impacted by the kind of anxiety you have.
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This video was created by Barbara Heffernan, LCSW for educational purposes only. These videos are not diagnostic and provide no individual consultation. Consumption of these materials is for your own education and any medical, psychological, or professional care decisions should be made between you and your primary care doctor or another provider that you are engaged with. Barbara Heffernan is not available for individual consultation via KZbin, social media, or email, and provides services only in the manner mentioned above.
☀️☀️CHAPTERS☀️☀️
0:00 Is distraction helpful for anxiety?
1:10 What are helpful distraction techniques?
5:13 Unproductive distraction techniques
13:07 How often should you use distraction techniques?
17:18 What type of anxiety do you have?

[@peace2341]

I have had anxiety for 30 years. The last few years have been better and your explanation is spot on. I hope everyone who listens to this will take everything you said and practice and train your brain to get better. ❤️ Your explanation is perfectly said. Thank you

[@BarbaraHeffernan]

Thank you for letting me know :)

[@mollieanne]

I felt the sane watching. So spot on.

[@JandKG]

You've been helping me so much - thank you. I developed agoraphobia 3 years ago and didn't know it even had a name or that other people deal with it too I thought I was crazy. I'm just starting now to use exposure therapy. REALLY hard but I'm trying and using your suggestions ❤

[@TorpZeus]

I’d like to make a general comment about your video clips, not just this specific one. As a person with GAD, obsessive compulsive personality trait, and being an HSP-Empath (who is easily overwhelmed), I find your KZbin clips so VERY useful. Your explanations are so very clear and have a logical flow that I can understand and follow so easily. This is simply to thank you for recording these enormously helpful clips. I’m immensely grateful.

[@user-gp5qv2is7j]

This is an extremely comprehensive and concise description of almost every anxiety I have ever experienced. I can relate to all the coping strategies, and it is very useful to get opinions on their value. I'll be giving this another listen to two.

[@BarbaraHeffernan]

So pleased you found a lot of useful information in this one! I truly hope it helps and I wish you health and healing!

[@mollieanne]

Wow, this was such a good video about anxiety and what to do. Thanks!

[@AmandaJuneHagarty]

With my ADHD and particular brand of anxiety mindfulness is tricky for me. I've found ways of doing it that help me, but they are my own version, nothing that I ever learned from anyone. For example, instead of closing my eyes, I keep my eyes open and I look at things. Inside I might look at a painting.Outside I might look at flowers blowing in the breeze or bees flying from flower to flower and think about how each flower is creating nectar as the bees pass by. Most recommendations have this sort of empty mind kind of thing but I find it much better to have an active mind, but active without a specific purpose or direction. A sort of pointless, neutral thinking that keeps me from spiralling into non helpful thinking. It's replacing a behavior rather than stopping a behavior. Doing something that requires focus, like painting is also helpful, or just going out and having a fun day of mini golf with my husband. Or using a TV show story to replace the bad story loops in my head and get me out of my own stories and into another story. It depends on whether it's just a temporary state of anxiety from something upsetting that I can get over if I can just stop thinking about it or if it's a long term thing that temporarily distractions won't help because it will just come back. One thing that never helps is social media scrolling. Controversially though, I would say that when it's a health anxiety... because I have a rare disease and I have a legitimate reason for health anxiety, learning is one of my most powerful tools. And for that, I often turn to Google. But I am well educated, particularly in science and medical related areas. So I know how to Google medical stuff without getting myself in trouble. Also I try to avoid medical Googling after dark. LOL. I constantly have to switch up my night time distraction techniques to help me sleep. It started out with me counting backwards from 100. But then I got to good at it. Currently I am listening categories of things alphabetically. Fruits, plants, rocks and minerals, etc. But hands down, one of the best tools in my box for snapping me out of a state of anxiety is saying out loud that I am anxious about whatever. "Oh, I'm worried about money." It seems so basic and that's why I think it's very overlooked. We think "well of course I know what I'm feeling", but we don't take the time to acknowledge the anxiety out loud. It's is super powerful for such a seemingly simple act. Sometimes it can stop anxiety right in it's tracks. And another level of this is acknowledging it out loud to a friend or family member. Most of the time we are really good at hiding our anxiety until it comes out in very unhelpful ways. I tend to blow up relationships. But lately I've tried to stop myself from starting those little passive aggressive attempts to "fix" things that usually end in destroying friendships, and replacing that with just telling the person that I'm anxious and why. So often those people don't even know what's going on in our heads because we are so good at masking. By being upfront and naming feelings this gives people time to be supportive and caring before everyone's backs are up and damage is done.

[@angelaschnettler5013]

This really is a great help to me 🎉 ... you made the effort to write such a long contribution to this very stressful topic ❕️Thank you 👏

[@4xzx4]

Avoiding anxiety is like plugging a sink from the flowing tap water: eventually, you have to unplug the sink, and let all the water flow through. You may get temporary relief from plugging the water, but once it flows over (and you unplug), it will come down all at once.

[@unicornmagiclyfe9113]

Perfect analogy

[@astridkuhn385]

Thank you so much!

[@BarbaraHeffernan]

You're welcome!

[@jrusco4979]

Your example of skiing makes sense to me. I don't ski, but I find driving very helpful as there are physical and mental components. Also, walking my dog is also helpful. I also take two yoga classes a week, and am learning centering and meditation. I am not where I would like to be, but I think I am making progress, and your videos are very helpful.

[@donkoh5738]

I'm wondering if Narcissism, or anti-social disorders alike, are in part self-defensive mechanisms that have been learned to continually distract oneself from a hyper sense of one's anxiety ?

[@aliciatorres91]

This is fabulous news. What can I do to distract myself from anxiety. It was my coping mechanism

[@BarbaraHeffernan]

Hi: This video does mention things that can help. I also have a whole playlist on help for anxiety: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYesfWSClN6jg8k . Wishing you the best!

[@anupa1090]

Indeed barbara

[@mahipsingh3747]

There's a cycle I want to break. Often while I go to sleep, even if I am super sleepy, as soon as I close my eyes, my mind stops me from dozing off and craves a distraction. The habit of not soaking in the anxiety kicks in and I end up listening to a KZbin podcast(with my eyes closed) or eating something( even if I am not hungry and that leads to gastric issues and weight gain) or watching porn. What suggestions would you make to break. this cycle?

[@elizabethlasseigne5361]

How would you suggest overcoming terrible anxiety and upset due to husband’s porn addiction and indifference to me for years? He’s not watching it anymore and being wonderful to me ( been a year since discovery), yet I’m triggered at seeing anything romantic on tv, even seeing an ad for bathing suits will trigger me. Avoidance doesn’t work but neither does exposure. I would greatly appreciate your input. I love your videos!

[@anupa1090]

Yes Yes

[@iamjustsaying1]

Would prayer, religion be magical thinking? I know that many people use it thinking that they will be protected; which, of course, isn't what always ends up happening.

[@luba312000]

Our son, 25 is suffering from OCD from age of 14-15. Is it possible to help him ?

[@BarbaraHeffernan]

OCD is treatable. I would look for someone who specializes in it. Wishing you and your family the best.

[@alinakotova6368]

Where would you put reading fiction?

[@BarbaraHeffernan]

Reading fiction is great! I suppose this might fall into how often (whether you're neglecting other duties..) but relaxing with a book is wonderful!

[@itsfrankieg5816]

4:43 why is it always a saber tooth tiger? 😂 why do all counselors say this? What about a bear or an alligator 😂😂😂

[@Arrasel]

Are anxiety disorders getting worse as you age or become easier to bear? I know schizophrenia becomes worse as you age, unfortunately.

[@BarbaraHeffernan]

I think it depends if people get help for their anxiety or not - whether professional or self-help.. Anxiety is treatable!