Is distraction the best strategy for dealing with anxiety?  Yes and No.  Now that I’ve confused or frustrated you with that answer, here is why.  For many years, I used to cringe when someone would report back to me that the big takeaway they got out of the strategies and tools we were just talking about was… you guessed it… distraction.  

Over time I have come to accept the term, because, yes, we are distracting the brain from the anxious thoughts it is stuck on.  But distraction is not the full answer.  Distraction sounds like we are a squirrel that needs shiny things all around to distract us from our worries and problems and anxieties.  We are not squirrels with tiny brains, we are incredibly capable human beings with a mind, and thoughts, and choices of our own.  We are the ones who choose to distract from the anxious, and sometimes obsessive thoughts.  

So what do I call this intentional distraction?  I call it thought shifting, choosing not to stay focused or stuck on the fear or worry running through our brain, but choosing to shift our thoughts and/or actions to something different and more positive.  Does it end up distracting our thoughts away from our worries? Yes!  So what is the difference?  The difference is you!  

YOU are choosing to shift or distract yourself, which means YOU can build up the confidence that YOU can do it anytime you need to, you can do it every time you need to.  You don’t have to wait for a distraction to come along, you are creating the distraction.  Now you are building confidence that you can manage those anxious thoughts when and where you need to, without waiting for a squirrel to drop by with a shiny thing.  

Call Light For Your Path, Anxiety and Mental Health Counseling today to learn the strategy of thought shifting and take back the ownership of your own thoughts.