Negative Thoughts Are a Virus, and Distractions Are the Cure

Image: justraveling/Pixabay

Negative thoughts are like “mental monsters. They will eat you (and your dreams) from the inside out,” says entrepreneur Deep Patel. The longer we leave those monsters, the more intimidating they become.

Psychiatrist Daniel Amen goes one step further and describes these monsters as Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANT):

“The little voices that pop into your head and tell you you’re not good enough, not thin enough, a rubbish daughter, mother, worker.”

Patel says the best way to repel an ANT is to develop an ANT-eater — “Write your negative thoughts down, and then write down what your ANT-eater would say to squelch them.” My ANT-eater says the same thing over and over:

To get through life’s struggles, keep yourself distracted.

When You Allow Thoughts to Fester, They’ll Mutate

About a year ago, I had a nasty bout of tonsilitis. The doctor told me to wait a few days and see if any white spots appeared in the back of my throat before doing anything.

A few days passed, and sure enough, some white spots appeared. The doctor gave me some antibiotics but said to wait a few days and only take them if the pain got worse. I took them the same day.

I don’t profess to know more than a doctor, but I couldn’t wait longer. I didn’t see the point. Thankfully, the pain soon started subsiding.

Negative thoughts aren’t much different.

Let’s use body dysmorphia as an example. According to the Mental Health Foundation, over a third of adults said they have felt anxious or depressed because of their body image. While there are other reasons why this happens, allowing mental monsters to rampage certainly doesn’t help.

If you allow negative thoughts to fester, everything will feel more painful and pointless. You’re not going to change your body after one workout, so why bother at all, right?

These negative thoughts need a distraction.

A Poignant Lesson From a Two-Month Long Knee Wound

When I was 17, I played a lot of rugby for my school team. During one blisteringly hot tournament, I badly cut my knee on the dry grass. Thinking it would heal soon, I didn’t think much of it.

I played rugby and football five days a week, causing the scab to rip off nearly every day for two months. Eventually, I got a week off and it did heal completely.

The point is, you need to allow a wound to heal. If you don’t, the scab will keep coming off. When you’re struggling, your brain will focus on the overarching thought and dig in. Before you know it, those negative thoughts swallow you up.

Distractions are a form of healing because they give your brain something to focus on. They hold immense power.

The Power of a Distraction

Researchers at the University of Iowa conducted three studies. They found that among the 400 students involved, recalling positive memories about a past relationship made them feel more miserable.

The answer? Distractions.

If thinking about memories makes you sad, then chances are you need to stop thinking about them altogether. That can be challenging, as traumatic events such as a breakup take up a lot of mental space.

It can be hard to force yourself into occupying your mind, as you might feel guilty for trying to think about anything else. Major life events need your attention, yes, but when time moves forward, so should you.

Distractions allow you to enjoy the present moment, even if it’s just a moment, without that lingering negative thought dragging you away.

You’re permitting yourself to do something you’ve been putting off for a while.

For instance, when I felt low about my career prospects, I kept myself distracted and started writing. I’d put it off for months, favoring a seemingly never-ending job search. Once I allocated distraction time as healing time, a light bulb went off in my head.

I ended up falling in love with writing, and here I am, over a year later doing it full-time.

But distractions don’t have to be anything significant like that. It doesn’t need to change your life. In reality, helping yourself through a rough time takes small steps. You could get lost in a book for an evening or catch up with an old friend for half an hour.

As long as it takes your mind off those negative thoughts, you’re doing the right thing.

How to Realistically Keep Yourself Distracted

When going through something traumatic, your normal routine can feel offputting. Nothing is normal at that time. That’s why a break from routine is required.

Think of that task you’ve put off. Now give yourself permission to do that — you’ve earned it.

For instance, when I was feeling low about my career prospects, I kept myself distracted and started writing. I’d put it off for months, favoring a seemingly never-ending job search. Once I allocated distraction time as healing time, a light bulb went off in my head.

I ended up falling in love with writing and here I am, over a year later doing it full time.

But distractions don’t need to change your life. In reality, helping yourself is one small step at a time. You could get lost in a book for an evening or catch up with an old friend for half an hour.

As long as it takes your mind off those negative thoughts, you’re doing the right thing.

I love distractions. When going through heartbreak, they’re exactly what I need. Whether it’s seeing friends, going to the cinema for the first time in a year, or studying new niches to write about, I’ll gobble it all up.

Distractions are powerful. Of course, there are times when they’re not helpful. I’m sure Roger Federer wouldn’t appreciate screaming fans when serving in a Wimbledon final, but usually, the stakes aren’t that high.

Put your life back in your hands and let that positive mind roam free.

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