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

Anxiety can be a real mess. There are different ways to deal with anxiety. I do that by writing about how I'm feeling and if there's a reason behind what I'm feeling and if there's a reason, I try improving my situation. It usually helps and if it doesn't, I try to distract myself by watching funny videos or a drama serial that I like, reading a good book or if everything else fails, I try to sleep or daydream. Anxiety is usually a sign that we fear that something will not go our way. If there's a test coming up, we might feel anxious that we might not perform well and if that's the case, we can deal with our anxiety by studying for the test. There are different methods of going about it, the ones mentioned here are mine.

Anxiety can really feel like it's taking over your life. It can feel like a brutal storm or a calm breeze - every person experiences it differently. In some instances, it can completely control a person and how they react in certain situations. Having experienced anxiety myself (to a certain degree), I've discovered several techniques that seem to work for me. 1) I look around me at everything I can see, and name every object and the colour. For example, if I were to name everything around me now, I'd say, "black laptop", "blue bottle", "white can" etc. 2) I tell myself silently, "I am in control. I judge what happens, not you," repeatedly. 3) I lie flat on my bed, shut my eyes, and intensely imagine a beautiful scene... like staring up at the night sky with a million stars littering it, or lying on the golden sand and listening to the calming breeze and gentle waves. I hope at least one of these could work for you.

I also suffer from anxiety, so I can understand how you can easily fall into bad habits of dealing with it. I personally go for a walk! I know, exercising can put you off. But listening to a good playlist full of songs you love and going for a small walk to get your mind of things helps so much. If that isn't your thing, you can listen to music and really focus on the lyrics, or watch a movie or show. Maybe talk to a friend of figure out a puzzle. The best thing you can do is get your mind of things. I thing i often do is a thing called "3-3-3". First, start by looking around, name 3 things you see and really pay attention to them, take your time. Then, list 3 things you hear. Lastly, name 3 things you physically feel. Try to choose things that aren't the source of your anxiety (for example, if you are anxious about being in a crowd, try and not focus on the crowd, instead focus on the objects near by, or the sounds of birds, etc). If you can't find any solution, i strongly suggest going to a professional.

I think there are many good and healthy distractions from your anxiety when it gets really bad such as exercising, doing yoga, or doing something that you love, such as reading or maybe writing. Any type of exercise is great! Some people like long distance run to help distract themselves from anxiety. Running is very great cardio and is known to decrease overall levels of tension, elevate and stabilize mood, improve sleep, and improve self-esteem. There have been studies that found that even five minutes of aerobic exercise can begin to stimulate anti-anxiety effects. Some people also turn to yoga to help with anxiety and this is a great distraction because a lot of types of yoga focus on breathing exercises that can be super helpful! There are also loads of youtube videos out there just in case you don't want to spend loads of money on classes. On top of that, you can do yoga anywhere! Doing things that you love can also help distract from anxiety, whether that be listening to music, singing, painting, writing, etc. :) Not everything will work for you, you should try to see what works and what doesn't :)

Meditation can really help. There are apps like headspace and calm that can help you learn how to be mindful and notice your thoughts without judging them. It will take some time and practice, but even doing it 3 or 4 minutes a day at first is a good first step to going along the path. Also taking a walk or listening to a song or watching a television show to redirect your mind to something that you enjoy. Anxiety can be difficult but you don't need to let it control your life! In time and with practice you can learn the steps necessary to have a healthier relationship with it.

It's always great to distract yourself with things you love doing. If their is music that always puts you in a calming and good mood listen to that. If watching your favourite film helps, watch it. If reading helps distract you, pick up that book and read.

Meditation is really good. If you cant focus for long periods of time, try running. Both of these help get your mind off of things.

I find that music is very good and singing and dancing to it helps. I also love to do suduko and crossword puzzles when I have high anxiety.

When I have anxiety, I focus on my breathing. I also have a list of inspirational and motivating quotes that help me out.

Some physical activity is nice. Go for a jog in the area or the local gym. Video games is also a great way to distract your anxiety.