distraction techniques?

[reevagee]

so, a friend and i are talking, two emets, and turns out we have literally the same exact coping mechanisms for when we r having a panic attack.. what do u do to distract yourselves?? no judgement here.. ours are pretty funny..

[mhartse]

Im interested in hearing some cause really, i do not have any. this is where i struggle cause when I'm super anxious I pace around the house and shake and just am so scared. I can not even watch tv any more because i can't settle down enough to watch a program !

[AIR32]

I usually wash dishes, pick up, play with my daughter, change what im doing. Sometimes I take a bath. A big help is candy crush on my phone because I usually get so frustrated playing that I forget about the anxiety.

[AoD]

Yes, washing dishes works for me as well. Reading usually helps, even if I am too stressed to really make out the words, just flipping through a magazine or even a catalogue calm me down a bit. Let's be clear though, I still am worried and I still shake and can't calm down for the longest time, but it's better than just sitting waiting for disaster to strike, so to speak.

[AIR32]

Completely agree none of those things completely take away the anxiety and symptoms that come with it, but it does help to decrease the severity and gives a fighting chance to get over it relatively quickly.

[NicManri]

I don't have any really, I sit on the couch/bed and shake and try to cuddle my dogs. If my bf is home he's good at talking to me and distracting me. I didn't realize what he was doing until we were on a plane and I woke him up because I was having a panic attack. He talked to me for a bit and the says feeling better? You usually just need to take your mind off it.

[killjoy_erased]

this isnt a suggestion so much as asking for a new way because this is definitely a BAD coping mechanism... self harm... it somehow takes my mind off it especially if im out with my parents and theres no one who can really talk to me and no where to go calm down.

[dr.bloodylove]

I usually play bass guitar when I'm in the middle of a panic attack, always made me feel better...

[Goingmonkeys]

Hot showers! Love them when I'm panicking. I'll sit in the bathtub and just have the hot water cascade over me, and inhale the steam. It really helps me relax... and if worst case I do have to v*, well, I'd prefer to do it in the shower rather than facing a toilet bowl.