Grounding Techniques: Getting out of Yourself
Symptoms of anxiety, panic, or PTSD can be overwhelming and terrifying; you may feel like you’re losing control. A panic attack or a flashback can hit you suddenly, engulfing you in a flood of distressing emotions, without any realization of what could have triggered it. In the moment, it feels like there’s no end in sight—like you’re at the mercy of your brain, which is seemingly failing you. However, there are proven techniques that can help pull you out of these paralyzing thoughts and feelings.
Take slow, deep breaths. Breathing can become fast and shallow when we are distressed in any way, activating the sympathetic nervous system (responsible for fight vs. flight vs. freeze response). Slowing down breathing and exhaling longer than you inhale will activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for relaxation (i.e. try to count to 5 while you inhale and 6 while you exhale, or 4 inhale 5 exhale, etc).
Change of scenery. It could be that something in your environment triggered your symptoms. If possible, remove yourself from your current environment and into a new one. This could be as simple as going into another room, or stepping outside. Being outside in nature is great for reducing anxiety. Make it a point to pay attention to your surroundings.
Remind yourself you are safe. A panic attack can make you feel like you’re dying; a flashback can lead you to believe you’re in danger. Try telling yourself “I am in a safe place right now.” This can pull you back into the present reality.
Pay attention to your body. Anxiety catapults us into worries of the future, while PTSD drags us into memories from the past. When we focus on the sensations within our body, it can force our brain to come back to reality. Try wiggling your fingers and toes, making a fist and then letting it go, or tensing and relaxing your muscles.
The Five Senses. Take note of what you are experiencing through your senses. What do you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch? The more things you can identify, the better. You can use the 5-4-3-2-1 technique—name 5 things you see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. Your brain will now be occupied with identifying each experience, allowing anxiety and other negative thoughts to melt away.
Use your voice. We can sometimes hear our internal voice telling us negative things, like “this is never going to end,” “I’m going to feel this way forever,” or “there’s no helping me.” These thoughts become louder and clearer during times of distress and end up exacerbating symptoms. During these times, it can be powerful to hear your voice out loud, to break the cycle of negative thinking. You can say something as simple as “stop,” or recite a mantra that resonates with you. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, or are in a public place, try chanting “om” or humming a favorite song.
The common theme among all of these techniques is mindfulness; filling our minds with the present moment means there is no space for negativity to dwell. Use these techniques consistently, with your own variations if you choose, and you will find it easier to become grounded each time.
