Times are tough and I am not immune to the need to isolate myself from the world when I feel it is too loud, too heavy or just too much; Then distraction and escape come into play. Sometimes you need a little mentalvacation. Like a physical vacation, it can be helpful to take a short mental break to rest and reset.
But like most things in life, there is a balance, and tipping the scales can have damaging consequences.What is distraction and how is it used?I throw away the dictionary and tell what a distraction is to me: a mental break when I’m overwhelmed. Sure, there are distractions like texting in a meeting or seeing a dog while driving, but I focus on practicing distraction to combat anxiety.
When I feel overstimulated or my emotions are strong, I becomeincreasingly angry. My fight or flight begins, but I don’t do my best or make great decisions. Logic disappears, leaving only room for panic. Distraction is a great way to regain mental control.Sight, hearing and socializing can be great distraction tools. My favorite activity is reading or going for a walk.
Others prefer comfort programs,telephone conversations with friends or music: there are many things that can help you release anxiety and relax.What is escape?In my opinion, escapism may seem like a distraction, but if you look closely,it is painful. Instead of using the activity to temporarily check in and calm down, it serves to avoid the problem.
The purpose of distraction is to return to a healthier state of mind and face the challenge. Escapism is about not having to face any challenge at all.There are obvious escape tactics, such as consuming drugs or alcohol, butalso seemingly harmless ones, such as scrolling through social media for hours. There are also tactics that can be considered “healthy,” such as consistent training. The point is that the task doesn’t have to be arduous, but when avoiding difficult emotions becomes a habit, it becomes a problem.
Don’t let distraction become an escape routeThere is no doubt that it is good to escape for a while, but the line between distraction and escape can easily be crossed without even realizing it.The difference lies in the intention. “I’m going to go for a walk before Irespond to that difficult email” is completely different than “I don’t want to think about it, so I’m going to open a bottle of wine and scroll on my phone.”There’s nothing wrong with drinking a glass of wine and checking social media. There’s something wrong with not wanting to deal with your feelings. When you get used to repressing emotions, a snowball effect occurs. These emotions don’t go away and don’t get any easier later on.