Some things I do to distract myself from obsessions
I noticed I get stuck in my head if I'm not doing anything, so I compiled a list of things I do to give my brain something else to focus on. I drew from multiple areas of things because some of these things might relate to your obsessions. In that case, don't do them. Do something else. There are a lot of options here.
Listen to music-- I recommend a coming of age movie soundtrack to feel simultaneously like you are infinitely small and part of something bigger
Bake chocolate chip cookies (put music or a podcast on in the background, sing along to Disney music! Occupy your thoughts with lyrics instead)
Look into how to make your own indoor garden!
Make a terrarium
Play a video game -- Minecraft is good and the music is soothing. Play a podcast in the background. I recommend Dear Hank And John because I am vlogbrothers Trash
Read a book
Write a book
Moisturize your body
Paint a sheet of paper with watercolor, let dry, then write on it.
Start a bullet journal
Go on a run. I hate running but I can’t think when I run.
Learn Sign Language. If you have BFRBs, this helps so much to distract yourself. Learning just the alphabet is really easy and insanely helpful
Try to dance, even if you suck at it. Turn off the lights in your room, close your eyes, just dance.
Play Just Dance(TM). It’s a great game! Get ya exercise on!
Go to an animal shelter, look at cute animals. Local ones sometimes have meet-and-greet days, so I always go when they have a bunny run and I’ll just sit with rabbits. Very cute, bring a friend.
Text someone to tell them that you need a distraction. You don’t have to tell them what.
Poptropica
Make a blog and write a post about what you do to get your mind off things (haha... this is meta)
Watch old Buzzfeed Unsolved episodes and try to solve them.
Do a face mask. I use this when I need to not pick at my skin. Get free samples at Lush! Get a free sample of Cosmetic Warrior you won’t regret it.
Go Thrifting and listen to music/podcasts while you do
Bring a friend over to do ANY of these things with you. Especially if you have a talkative one. Maybe you can’t speak much because you’re in your head, but they usually can.
Try (and fail, probably) to make bath bombs. Idk why but they’re hard! maybe only for me bc I never have any of the ingredients so i just wing it
Go to the Dollar Store, try to find the weirdest product
Play the Sims, make at least one person in the family complete their ambition without cheats
Learn how to sew
Make your bed and clean your room while listening to the Tangled soundtrack
Try online therapy. This isn’t “get your mind off of it” as much as work through it, but it’s important. If you can’t see a therapist in your area, online therapy is great too. Therapy is important to help you be able to do these other distractions.
These aren’t gonna work for everyone all the time. I know it’s hard to get out of your head in a spiral. Sometimes it’s just not gonna happen. But if you can feel yourself starting to get stuck and you can put your brain power to something else, do. It will save you, at minimum, an hour or so of obsessing. And, at maximum, it will get you over the hump and you’ll be able to pull yourself out of the spiral. Good luck. It’s better on the other side of this.
