Creating Distractions?

[Philippa]

It's pretty much become a way of life for most people. It's not a mental illness, it's just people not wanting to face things going on inside themselves. People seem to always jump to the conclusion that anything they do must be a disorder or illness these days.

I guess with the way psychiatrists keep coming up with new and even more bizarre disorders to have, it's probably no surprise. Sometimes I think people want to make some perfectly normal behavior into a disorder just to be special or something...which is actually quite sick in itself.

 

[Murakami]

(...) I do keep finding myself playing games on my phone or looking on Facebook or Twitter (just reading) with any spare moment I have.

Whenever I'm at home & my husband isn't in the room, I'm looking at something on my phone. Find myself doing it at work too sometimes.

I feel like I'm almost trying to stay out of reality a bit?

I do this all the time. I don't know why you do it, you should bring it up with your T. Keep asking yourself questions; do you do it only when bored or do you do it when upset as well, to keep your mind off what you don't wanna feel. How often do you do this? Do you do this to such an extent you're skipping on other tasks? Do you hide how much time you spend on this to other people, ancxious they might think it's too much? Try analyze and or keep a log/diary of when and what. It will make your patterns clearer for you:)

Myself I go to my addictions (eating, shopping and gaming) on a daily basis, especially when I'm upset. It's a very efficient way to conceal and hide my feelings from myself. But it's a VERY shortlived comfort. I understand this was a way for me to cope with trauma, but my system hasn't learnt another more productive way to cope. I can't fool myself anymore though, cuz the distractions are very destructive for further growth.

Hope you will be ok, wish you best for your journey:)

 

[Murakami]

! Have removed all my other vices and am not ready to let this one go until I get back into T and have some stability! Eating disorder gone, alcohol consumption close to zero, normal self harm absent for a few weeks and much better, exercise abuse stopped, dissociation improved. I am allowing myself a little "screening"!

Congrats on this! I'm still struggling. I'd love to hear more about how you did it, if you got time sometime and you wanna share. If you rather not, that's ok too:)
I find it excruciatingly energy draining to stop myself every 2nd minute doing something I shouldn't do...

 

[Abstract]

I think calling a cold a cold is legitimate even though there is such a thing as pneumonia. A cold may need no treatment or a little attention such as aspirin whereas pneumonia may need hospitalisation but that does not mean that a cold is desirable.

Calling a cold pneumonia is a different matter as it means the incorrect treatment is involved and if it is the person themselves it may indicate other issues. Technically they are both respiratory ailments but some people may huff a little at a cold being called that. It is nevertheless still factually true.

Constant distraction happens a lot in normal life and is normal in that sense but in people with other mental health issues it can be helpful if used correctly and a problem if used incorrectly. Not a problem like psychosis but something that can nevertheless interfere with someone's life. Constantly finding new and creative ways to run from trauma and emotions and being phobic of emotions has been a way I have lived my life and even the less problematic forms have slowed my recovery.

Being mindful and living mindfully for those of us who have mental health issues is in my opinion a healthy and good aim and has certainly changed my life on a personal level.

I don't think people have to jump to the conclusion that someone is saying it is pneumonia when they are merely mentioning the symptoms of a cold and saying that they are bothering them personally. I think it is a little bit black and white.

 

[Abstract]

I find it excruciatingly energy draining to stop myself every 2nd minute doing something I shouldn't do...

It is so very hard isn't it Marakami? It feels intolerable to just sit with ourselves and the pain.

It was a long process and started with learning other coping and self soothing skills and getting used to using them. Hard. And then the other big change was learning about emotions. Both the theory of their aim and uses and how to identify them. A huge amount of help came after from learning some DBT and mindfulness as well as radical acceptance. That helped me accept emotions and pain much more and become a lot less phobic of intense emotional states. This helped so much with dealing with intrusions and flashbacks as well as relationship issues.

Good luck with your journey.

 

[Murakami]

Thank you for your answer! DBT? Sorry I'm newbie. Not familiar with all abbreviations:)

 

[rightkindofme]

I like the cold/pneumonia explanation. :)

 

[Abstract]

DBT?

Sooo sorry Murakami. It is dialectical behaviour therapy. Here is a great site if you want to look around a little. http://www.dbtselfhelp.com/