Emily Chan
Or perhaps you always have to watch a YouTube video while you eat instead of simply enjoying your meal in the moment.
Sometimes, we don’t even realize we do it. It’s a coping method we subconsciously adopt to busy ourselves and avoid being in the present.
When struggling with anxiety, using distraction as a coping strategy may feel like something that provides you with safety and comfort.
And it can be a healthy way of dealing with anxiety. But distraction can also be an easy escape that quickly turns into a harmful pattern.
If you consistently use binging Netflix shows as a fallback and fail to face the causes of your anxiety head-on, you are only maintaining the anxiety in the long run.
To combat this, try sitting down with a cup of tea and simply doing nothing. Your mind might protest at first, but try to ignore the tension and stay calm for as long as possible.
Focus on getting through any overwhelming emotions that will arise. You might even feel proud of yourself afterward for being able to sit with an uncomfortable feeling for ten, twenty, or maybe even thirty minutes!
@thecognitivecorner Being with our thoughts can feel difficult when we have a hard time regulating ourselves. A subconscious coping mechanism that we might adopt is continually busying ourselves so that we dont have to be present with our mind and body #anxietyawareness #therapytiktok #healingtiktok
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