Anxiety is something that is very common for us to experience, very often on a regular basis. Hence, it is very important for us to learn how to cope with it in ways that work for us so that we are able to be calmer in such situations.
Grounding techniques are “strategies that can help a person manage their strong emotions.” Grounding techniques are used to help a person decrease the intensity of the feelings they are experiencing. They are used in order for us to learn to cope with our emotions and help us literally ground ourselves back to reality when need be.
Six Basic Grounding Techniques
The following is a list of grounding techniques given by psychologist Karim Khalil, who is based in Lebanon –
- Five Senses
Using your senses in order to ground yourself is a great technique – one of the most famous – used with anxiety and even anger. Here, it is recommended that you use your sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste in a way where you count down from 5. Hence, you must identify 5 objects that you can see, 4 sounds that you can hear, 3 textures that you can touch, 2 things that you can smell, and 1 that you can taste. It is recommended for you to look at your surroundings in order to find these things.
- Ice Cube or Cold Water
Touching something cold or dipping your face or hands into something cold can help revive you in a sense. The temperature of the water or ice cube – being the cold – is meant to counter your bodily response to stress, bringing you back to a calmer state of body and mind.
- Boxed Breathing
This is one the most famous breathing techniques. It is also known as the “4×4” method. You are recommended to breathe in for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, breathe out for 4 seconds, and hold that for 4 seconds as well. Repeat the process over and over until you feel that you have calmed down and that your body is grounded.
- Grounding Body Scan
This technique starts off with you laying down on the floor. It is sort of similar to the technique of the senses. When you lay down on the ground, make sure to notice the things around you – where the floor touches your body, the textures around you, all kinds of vibrations and sounds, the temperature, etc.
- Mindful Distraction
This can be done using the body or the mind. With the body, you can take a walk or do some kind of physical activity. With the mind, you can perhaps take on a puzzle or a game in order to distract your mind by doing something that requires your full attention.
- Grounding Phrase
You can choose any phrase of your choice. For example, “I am okay,” “I got this,” or “this will pass” are all things you can repeat to yourself in times of panic in order to calm yourself down.