Distractions vs thinking of trauma

Mental health is not something you can avoid. Everyone goes through some sort of trauma in their life.

Distractions are just something to get your mind off of something that has caused you pain in the past. You can not fully get over something without thinking about it, without crying, without trying to live through the pain.

Distractions help when you are trying to not focus on something in the moment. They are not a cure for your problems, they are just something that eases the pain for a little while.

Months and months after trauma, you can still be in mental pain, whether it be a breakup, a loss of a friend, the death of a family member, etc. Distractions help you get over that thing for a little while. They do not make sure that the thing that is hurting you is gone.

Personally, I have learned that after going through a trauma, for me, writing is the best form to get your emotions out. It could be a song, a poem, a story. I have learned that getting my feelings out rather than suppressing them is more beneficial to mental health.

Distractions do work, over time. But allowing yourself to experience the pain, to cry, to scream, any way of self expression is positive. Allowing yourself to experience this, let’s you know that you are healing.