People who are troubled by persistent and hard to manage thoughts are offered a variety of treatment approaches. What we call worry, rumination and obsessional thinking can derive from several diagnoses including depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress, brain injury, mania and others. While hopefully moving towards resolution of the symptoms, some people may find relief by distracting themselves. Mp3 players can do this. I have suggested this to patients and hear that it can help them temporarily escape troubling or intrusive thoughts. Players are readily available and can be had inexpensively.
Music is right for some people but I think podcasts are particularly good distracters. Music’s moods and lyrics can sometimes evoke unwanted thoughts whereas podcasts can help people think about different things. Most are free and available on websites such as CNN, NPR and iTunes. Content can be news, culture, arts, sports, comedy, spirituality, science, cooking, business, politics, hobbies, it’s nearly endless. eBooks can also be uploaded from numerous websites, usually for a fee. People should experiment with content that helps them feel better, learn something interesting or focus on the lives of others. I advise people to listen while washing dishes, exercising, doing yard work, walking or when it’s otherwise safe to be distracted. Those inclined to substitute media for human contact should bear this in mind so as not to increase any sense of isolation or interfere with relationships.
