what are some good and healthy distractions from my anxiety when it gets really bad?

I used to struggle with anxiety and panic attacks myself and found it extremely helpful to do some grounding exercises. For example, when you are feeling really anxious, instead of gearing yourself up further in your own mind, focus on external stimuli around you to "anchor" yourself in reality. Focus on the taste of your coffee, the smells of your newly washed t-shirt, the feeling of your smooth cellphone screen, the sounds of the people around you on the street or in the office, etc. Go through all 5 senses and really ground yourself in the present moment. Focus hard on details. It is both a distraction technique and a grounding technique! I also found it helpful to count backwards from 200 in 3s...or something really challenging for my brain. Deep, belly breaths are best, even if they feel forced or awkward initially because you are so tense from anxiety. Lastly, another odd one I still use time to time is "giving in" to the feeling of anxiety. It can be helpful sometimes to accept that you are feeling anxious, tell yourself that this is not the first time, and that it always passes! Always! Then feed into the feelings. Try to make yourself feel as anxious/nervous as possible. Really try to get more butterflies in your stomach, or tense your muscles. Then just let it all go at once. Sometimes, the more we "try" to mimic being anxious, the more it fades away! :)

Listening to music..going out for a walk..writing down your emotions in a diary. Watching a movie to distract your mind

Dear friend, Feeling anxious is a very common thing, however there are those who experience it in a stronger level. Here at 7Cups we have some great mindfulness exercises, why don't you givem them a try? Here's the link: http://www.7cups.com/exercises/mindfulness111/ If you feel like it, let me know later. I would love to here from you again.

When I find anxiety is starting to take over, I read, watch TV or talk to a good friend. Other ways of coping I find useful are breathing exercises. Breathe in through your nose for 7 seconds then out through your mouth for 11 seconds and repeat a few times and you might feel a little better.

I advice googling Grounding Techniques, because there are far more than I can list here. But, what I do is: Breath deeply a few times; repeat a reassuring phrase or quote to myself; count up and down from 100-0-100 repetitively; look around the room and label what I see; listen quietly and notice everything I can hear as far away as i can hear too; touch something and really notice it's texture; go for a walk; journal about your anxiety and THEN fill at least one page with something positive... these are just my favorite options. Come up with a list of 3-5 things to try and keep it close for when you are anxious. Update the list as you find out what works and what doesnt.

I think it depends on the type of person you are. For me, I was able to identify that I am an introvert. I gain energy from being alone. When I find I need a distraction from anxiety, while some people flock to friends or family, I find that I need to be alone. I take a long shower, or go on a long drive, or simply shut off my phone and sit alone. Once I know that I am safe, alone, and there are no expectations for me other than my own, I find I am better able to either work through what is making me anxious, or move on to something new.

When my anxiety gets bad I like to play puzzles, they help distract me because I start to focus on solving the puzzle

Wouldn't it be great if we could just put our anxiety in a box to deal with it when it's too overwhelming? Unfortunately, emotions don't quite work that way. The only way to get through emotions is to face them. However, you can do things to calm your physiological (or your body's) response to anxiety. Deep breathing (breathe into a permeable paper bag if you are hyper ventilating), progressive muscle relaxation, yoga, or other contemplative practices can calm your body and let you deal with the anxiety. Don't forget: anxiety is like a 3 alarm fire so your judgment may be clouded with smoke when you are anxious, try to calm your body before making decisions.

I've suffered from anxiety for many years and I see a professional therapist who helps me through it. Some tips in the middle of an anxiety attack are to close your eyes, and find a single happy place. Singing works for me too. Breathing and counting in and out 8-10 times slowly, drawing, writing, or performing any mentally engaging and relaxing activity can help reduce your anxiety loads.

Exercise, calling a friend or family member and asking them how they are doing, partaking in an artistic activity (writing, an art project, etc), listening to some calming music, watching television or a movie, reading a book.