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Grounding Techniques for Anxiety
Anxiety is something many people live with, and it can be the worst feeling to have to contend with which is further heightened when you don’t know how to deal with it.
The truth is, so many people haven’t been able to access the help they so deeply need so they end up living with the torment because there’s nothing else to do. I’ve dealt with it for many years and I’ve been lucky enough to get some help with it. Along the way I’ve had some great advice and also some that’s been as much use as a chocolate teapot for me. One thing I know is that something may work incredibly for one person, but that doesn’t mean it will be the case for everyone, so its all about finding out what works for you.
So this blog’s purpose is to provide you with a handful of grounding techniques that I have used, and I’ll also be honest with if they helped me or not and why I think that is. But please note…I am not a medical professional, and if you really do need the help, I strongly suggest you reach out to someone that can help you personally.
People say anxiety like it’s a one size fits all thing but it’s not, it’s different for everyone and it can really take over a person’s life. For some it’s moderate and leaves them feeling a bit panicked, for others it can be debilitating enough to prevent them going about their daily lives. Can it be lived with? Yes, I guess so. Should you live with it and have to learn how to deal with it alone? Absofrickinlutely not!
Before I go through these lets just run through a couple of
things. We have fight or flight, and we have dissociation. Both are part of anxiety,
but they present very differently and require different techniques to be addressed.
FIGHT OR FLIGHT
Fight or Flight is a physiological reaction that happens in response to threat or danger. It can be very scary but with the right techniques you can regain control.
Symptoms: Racing heart, rapid breathing, sweating, trembling, and dizziness to name a few.
DISSOCIATION
Dissociation is more of a mental process where the person can feel detached from their body, thoughts, and surroundings.
Symptoms: A spaced-out feeling, gaps in the memory, a feeling that things are somewhat surreal. Often described as a bit of a fuzzy feeling where something just isn’t right.
Grounding Techniques to Help You and Your Anxiety
5-4-3-2-1 technique
This is something I found very helpful and even more so if you have someone with you that knows how to do this with you. Just run through it with them beforehand and the rest is simple. Say out loud….5 thing you can see, 4 things you can touch (and touch them), 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. That last one you need to be prepared for. I used to carry toxic waste sweets with me so that it was enough to wake my system up when I got to 1.
Hands out, count your fingers
This is one I developed myself randomly one day and for whatever reason, it works for me. Put your hands out in front of you turning your palms up and with each hand….touch each finger with your thumb, one at a time and count as you do it. Keep doing it and focusing on what you are doing until you have calmed down. This one works for me because it’s an easy focus with minimal effort and you can do it anywhere.
Breathing techniques
In all honesty, breathing techniques only work for me now and again but they are super powerful for many people, hence why I’m including this one…the extended exhale.
STEPS- Inhale gently through your nose to a count of 4 (or any comfortable amount) and exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of 6 (or just longer than whatever you inhaled), and repeat this several times until you start to feel calmer.
There are SO many other techniques like this but if I had to pick one that I would go to, it’s this one!
Smelling perfume
People think I’m obsessed with perfume and smelling great, and while I do love them, they also have a firm place in my toolbox. The smell of something you really like can have a profound impact on your mind when you’re struggling and I think it’s a very quick way to engage your mind if it’s a strong one. I was never told of this a technique, it’s just something I find that helps me.
There really isn’t a how but if I find myself dissociating, need a positive distraction, or just need to be in a different space, I go to my perfume and I spray.
Fidget ring
These are awesome and you can get some really pretty ones. They are usually a simple band with a spinning band within it and you can use it discreetly without anyone knowing you’re even wearing one. There are other things that are similar but I love my ring and I wear it on my thumb whilst twiddling it with my fingers. I wouldn’t say this is the best (for me) with very heightened anxiety but it’s definitely a good one for the milder times or the build up to something stressful.
There are loads of other things you can do to help deal with anxiety and to get yourself out of tricky situations, allowing you to regain control and focus. Check out https://www.healthline.com/health/grounding-techniques#physical-techniques to see what tips they have.
Try some of these things when you experience a little bit of anxiety and see if it does anything. If it does, keep this as your go-to technique and never let it go! Another piece of advice I would strongly suggest anyone to do, is to make someone aware of what’s happening and what helps. I’ve had it before where a friend has known to do the 54321 with me. It’s simple, effective, and it helps knowing you have someone on your side to help you get out of that horrendous feeling.
Living with anxiety is difficult but I can assure you that when you find the trick that works for you, you will feel some sort of difference, whether that’s feeling calmer, getting out of the foggy head quicker, or simply walking around like a powerhouse because you know you, and you know how to beat your anxiety! Regain control, it’s an incredible feeling.