Saturday, September 29, 2012

Distract yourself by counting...

Counting is a simple skill that can keep your mind busy and help you focus on something other than a negative emotion or thought.  The following are some examples:

Count your breaths. Sit in a comfortable chair in a relaxing stance.  Place one hand on your belly and take long, slow breaths.  Imagine breathing into your stomach and filling your stomach up like a balloon.  Start counting your breaths.  If you start to think about what ever is causing you discomfort, simply return your focus to counting.

Count anything else. If you are too distracted by your emotions, simply count the sounds you're hearing, the things you are seeing, the sensations you are feeling, or anything else you can put a number on. This takes the attention to something else other than you and your emotion.

Count of subtract increments by seven. For example, start with one hundred and subtract seven.  Take that answer and subtract seven more.  This activity requires extra attention and concentration and will really distract you from your emotions. 

These are only a few examples of coping skills that can be used to distract yourself from a negative emotion or thought.  If you feel that you need help in this area of your life, please give us a call. We would be happy to help you create a distraction plan to manage your thoughts.  Our number is 954-800-0108.

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