Distraction

Distraction is an Awareness Reduction Mechanisms] that the Bodily Ego uses to avoid uncomfortable confrontations with reality. Distraction involves distracting one's awareness by engaging in distracting activities.

Other Awareness Reduction Mechanisms

Awareness Reduction Mechanisms > Avoidance, Denial, Displacement, Dissociation, Distortion, Distraction, Diversion, Gaslighting, Intellectualization, Internalization, Projection, Rationalization, Reaction Formation, Regression, Repression, Sublimation

Related LP Terms

Awareness Reduction Mechanisms > Bodily Ego, Cognitive Wall, Defence Mechanisms, Disjuncture, Externally Directed ARMs, Internally Directed Arms

Non-LP Related Terms

Awareness Reduction Mechanisms > Ego Threat, Unwanted Self

Notes

For example, getting into a running club and spending all your time away from family in order to avoid the divert and distract from the toxicities/issues at home.

Distraction is a form of Isolation or, as we say on the LP, Informational Positioning. Isolation or informational positioning is a cognitive process involving the creation of a gap between an unpleasant or threatening cognition or memory, and other thoughts, feelings, and anything that can trigger a memory. Isolation works with the associative pathways of memory. We remember “less often” by minimizing associative connections.

Isolation is in operation when a person who begins a train of thought suddenly switches gears because the thoughts are getting to “close” and potentially triggering memories of, for example, sexual assault. For example, an individual may start off thinking about a childhood trip, but suddenly change the subject when the recall of that trip gets too close to a painful memory. An individual may also avoid thinking about certain topics, and avoid certain situations or people in their life, as way to avoid associations that might trigger painful trauma or disjuncture.

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