@rav3n the thought that popped up in answer to the last question was...'because I should be able to do it for myself.' I grew up in a family that was pretty volatile, but also big on figuring it out for yourself. Even now, I ring home for something and most often the response is..."you're an adult, deal with it yourself." It makes me feel...incompetent and useless when I can't and right now, I can't figure a lot of things out for myself.
That being said, I want help and I'm trying to get it, but it's challenging.
I don't know if I ever manage to completely distract myself but work is a distraction. I'm a grade 5/6 teacher and I know it's not healthy but it's almost encouraged, ignoring what I need and what's going on for me so that I can focus on my students helps distract me...until I get home. I guess watching my favourite movies, drawing and colouring in, doing something creative, reading (but I haven't been able to focus on reading lately).
For soothing things...when I have nightmares, just listening to my dog's breathing (snoring) and setting a hand on her and feeling the rise and fall of her chest and body soothes me. Meditation, but I find it difficult to access when I'm anxious and I'm anxious all the time at the moment. Walking my dog of a morning, soothes the work anxiety and it soothes her anxiety too. Curling up in a blanket so that I'm warm and cozy, and also...wrapped up safe, and also sitting by the wood heater with a mug of hot chocolate or Milo. And squeezing Needoh cubes keeps my hands busy and helps my brain to calm and focus.
The recharging ones - hitting up some place natural (doing a rainforest walk, or walking along the beach, getting good quality sleep (which is super rare), spending time with a person I have a deep connection with, Reiki treatment...
