anyone have any tips for distracting from anxiety

[pikpolo]

right now i currently have it in my head that i'm dying from bacterial menengitis, a brain tumor, and heart disease, i know i'm not, but i can't seem to shake it out of my head, does anyone have any tips to distract myself from these feelings of dying, because they are becoming more and more intolerable.

[pikpolo]

video games work for me sometimes, the only thing that really helps is when i'm at work, i'm too busy to think about anything else

[duckandcover]

You're right about TV.  It's too passive.  And forget about watching the news.  Talk about an anxiety trigger.  Half the time they are just lie chicken little "The sky is falling the sky is falling.."  LOL..

[suzi-q]

Sometimes reading a book.  It can help. NOT T.V.  TV is too passive.  Reading a good book that gets you involved has helped me in the past.

Get out with friends...go to a local pub for lunch and shoot the breeze about stupid stuff...like the shoes you wear or the friend who is tacky, etc.  

Sometimes a good dose of gossip helps!

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

i take a walk, call a friend ,clean my house, get in car go store anything to break up what i was doing , it does help , go make a cake just get out room you was in and do something different.

[scaredjo]

i agree with duck haha a good old game online or i play on the nintendo ds 99% it helps me forget a chat with a friend normally takes my mind off things too

[km88]

thats a really good question. anyone have any ideas/relaxation tecniques? i dont know what to do when a panic attack comes along..besides freak out! i try breathing like everyone says,but that doesnt help...

[duckandcover]

OK this may not be for you (or a lot of people) but I've noticed something that often breaks my anxiety cycle cold (at least for an hour or so).  I play some intense video games on my computer.  Usually online against other people.  Doesn't matter what game.  Shooting games card games strategy games.  Anything that gets my competitive juices going and requires me to focus intently.  

Usually after about 10 minutes the tightness in my chest is gone and I'm a lot more relaxed.  I think it's just the pure distraction of what I'm focusing on.

I realize this may sound unorthodox but it works for me.  I've also tried reading,  puzzles, and crosswords.  They all help to some degree but not as much as the online stuff.

Good luck!