Distraction & Fantasy Workbook

Description

Distraction is the precursor to disconnection and addiction. Distraction is a denial strategy—a way to avoid the discomfort, pain, boredom, grief, loss, and any other uncomfortable emotion or experience that accom­panies Reality. Distraction is me choosing to avert my senses, thoughts, feelings, and consciousness to something (anything) else I deem to be a different emotional experience, and/or more pleasurable. I exit Reality and go into distortion / denial in order to avoid pain. Yet, the outcome is increased pain. Distraction is seductive because it invites me into the illu­sion that I can “get out of” or avoid pain / discomfort. However, distract­ing does not avoid pain. Instead, I only numb myself to my emotions, and thus my Reality. When we choose distraction and numbness, we cannot connect to ourselves and others, because we have constricted our ability to feel. Thus, by distracting, we enter a state of constant pain and isolation!
​
For Example: I read my e-mails thoroughly, check the time, clean off my desk, and talk to my co-workers, in order to avoid (distract from) work­ing on my project, because my project continually reminds me of my in­competence and my inadequacies at my job (distorted thought). I’m afraid (distortion) that they’re going to find out how incompetent I am, so I must look busy (distorted thought), even though I “can’t” do the work I need to do (distorted thought).