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Mental Health HomepageConditions LibraryConditions CategoryConditions Category13 Powerful Grounding Techniques for Anxiety
Table of Contents:OverviewWhat Are Grounding Techniques?13 Powerful Grounding Techniques for AnxietyWhen to Practice Grounding Techniques for AnxietyAdopt Healthy Habits to Ease Anxiety
Anxiety DisorderRead Time: 6 Minutes
Published On: February 28, 2020
Reviewed On: February 28, 2020
Updated On: May 21, 2024
OverviewAnxiety is a primal human capacity to anticipate and prepare for threats, so at its pure form it is beneficial. However, at a certain frequency and intensity, anxiety becomes a mental illness that can disrupt and negatively affect your habits, job performance, and relationships. Anxiety floods your body with stress targeting hormones that can make you feel physically sick over long exposures, you can also experience ananxiety attack. Grounding techniques are helpful to relievefeelings ofoverwhelminganxiety.In this case, it is important that you acknowledge how you feel and know how to react to your bodily stress.Luckily, there are some very effective, scientifically proven ways to come back to reality even in our mostintensemomentsofoverwhelming anxiety: they’re called grounding techniques.
Overview
Anxiety is a primal human capacity to anticipate and prepare for threats, so at its pure form it is beneficial. However, at a certain frequency and intensity, anxiety becomes a mental illness that can disrupt and negatively affect your habits, job performance, and relationships. Anxiety floods your body with stress targeting hormones that can make you feel physically sick over long exposures, you can also experience ananxiety attack. Grounding techniques are helpful to relievefeelings ofoverwhelminganxiety.In this case, it is important that you acknowledge how you feel and know how to react to your bodily stress.
Luckily, there are some very effective, scientifically proven ways to come back to reality even in our mostintensemomentsofoverwhelming anxiety: they’re called grounding techniques.
What Are Grounding Techniques?Grounding techniques are coping strategies to help reconnect you with the present and bring you out of a panic attack,PTSDflashback,unwantedthoughtormemory, distressing emotion, or dissociation. They help separate you from the distress of your emotional state or situation.Talkspace therapist Joanna Filidor, LMFT says, “Grounding techniques are tools used to self-regulate in moments of stress and anxiety. They serve as gentle reminders to stay focused and anchored in the present moment, which is what helps reduce the feelings of anxiety and overwhelm.” Further, she states that “Grounding techniques can be anything that brings your attention to the present. When the brain is experiencing a threat (whether it’s perceived or actual), it affects the nervous system similarly as it activates our threat responseand raisesanxiety levelsas a result. Grounding techniques allow for the body to calm itself so that it sends the signal that there isn’t an actual threat present.”In other words, grounding techniques can help switch off that “fight, flight, or freeze” portion of the brain. These natural instincts often kick in when it comes to anxiety, panic disorders, and PTSD. But feeling disconnected can apply to other disorders, too, such asdepression, which can make one feel fuzzy and cut off from reality. Filidor adds that these methods can really help anyone, saying, “Grounding techniques can be used for day-to-daystressors. Anyone can benefit from these.”
What Are Grounding Techniques?
Grounding techniques are coping strategies to help reconnect you with the present and bring you out of a panic attack,PTSDflashback,unwantedthoughtormemory, distressing emotion, or dissociation. They help separate you from the distress of your emotional state or situation.
Talkspace therapist Joanna Filidor, LMFT says, “Grounding techniques are tools used to self-regulate in moments of stress and anxiety. They serve as gentle reminders to stay focused and anchored in the present moment, which is what helps reduce the feelings of anxiety and overwhelm.” Further, she states that “Grounding techniques can be anything that brings your attention to the present. When the brain is experiencing a threat (whether it’s perceived or actual), it affects the nervous system similarly as it activates our threat responseand raisesanxiety levelsas a result. Grounding techniques allow for the body to calm itself so that it sends the signal that there isn’t an actual threat present.”
In other words, grounding techniques can help switch off that “fight, flight, or freeze” portion of the brain. These natural instincts often kick in when it comes to anxiety, panic disorders, and PTSD. But feeling disconnected can apply to other disorders, too, such asdepression, which can make one feel fuzzy and cut off from reality. Filidor adds that these methods can really help anyone, saying, “Grounding techniques can be used for day-to-daystressors. Anyone can benefit from these.”
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13 Powerful Grounding Techniques for Anxiety
When trying to ground yourself, the first thing to do is to attempt to get back into your body. Filidor says, “When selecting a technique, it is helpful to start in the body and work upward to the brain, meaning you want to use tools that call the body first.”
When you’re feeling anxious, using these grounding techniques can be a powerful part of learninghow to deal with anxietyeffectively.
#1 Practice Breathing Techniques
#2 Stretch
You can perform light stretches while youalsofocus ondeep breathing, paying close attention to every physical sensation that arises from the activity.
Exercise, again with an emphasis on the physicality of your exertions, is an effective way to get back into your body. Whether simple jumping jacks or a long run on a favorite trail, feeling the sensations ofthesephysical grounding techniqueson your body can bring you back from apanicattackor reduceheightened anxiety levels.
#4 Focus on YourSenses
Focus on a particular sensation like holding an ice cube and noticing what it feels like or smelling an essential oil.
#5 PracticeMindfulness
#6 Body Scan Meditation
Find a quiet spot and lie down or sit comfortably. Close your eyes and slowly focus on each part of your body, from your toes to your head. Notice any sensations, tension, or discomfort without judgment. Thisgrounding techniquehelps shift your attention away fromanxious thoughts, grounding you in the present moment.
#7 Get Outside & Connect With Nature
Whenever you’re feeling anxious, try connecting with nature. This could be as simple as stepping outside to feel the breeze on your skin, listening to birds chirping, or walking barefoot on grass. The natural world offers a plethora of sensations that can instantly bring you back to the present moment and help you feel more grounded.
#8 Soothing Touch
Gently rubbing your hands together or placing them over your heart can bring immediate comfort. Feel the warmth, the rhythm of your heartbeat, and allow this tactile connection to reassure you that you’re here and now. If you have a small object like a smooth stone or piece of jewelry that holds significance, holding onto it and focusing on its texture can also serve as a grounding anchor.
#9 Find a Visual Anchor
#10 Listen to Music
Music has the power to evoke emotions, change moods, and transport us to different times and places. Listening to calming or favorite tunes can serve as a distraction from anxious thoughts and provide a sense of comfort.Create a playlist of songs that bring you peace or joy, and let the music carry you back to the present moment.
#11 Use Distractions
#12 Talk to aFriend or Loved One
Engaging in conversation with someone you trust can provide immediate relief from anxiety. Sharing your feelings and thoughts allows for validation, understanding, and often, a fresh perspective. The simple act of verbalizing one’s emotions can be therapeutic, and the support from a friend or loved one can be invaluable during anxious moments.
#13 Playor Simply Interact With a Pet
Pets, especially dogs and cats, have a natural ability to provide comfort and reduce feelings of stress. Their unconditional love and presence can be grounding, bringing individuals back to the present moment. Interacting with a pet, whether it’s petting, playing, or just sitting together, canrelease oxytocin, a hormone that promotes bonding and reduces cortisol, the stress hormone.
When to Practice Grounding Techniques for AnxietyAlthough grounding techniques are certainly effective when you feel flooded and overwhelmed, it can help to practice them when you’re calm and composed, too.Filidor says, “Practicing grounding techniques that focus on the body helps regulate the body periodically and helps you feel more prepared to tackle any challenges that may arise. However, when one is stressed, it is helpful to use grounding techniques to self-regulate throughout that period of anxiety or panic.”These grounding techniques for anxiety can be incredibly effective. The “5, 4, 3, 2, 1 exercise” is especially helpful in bringing one back to the present. Holding ice and breathing in essential oils, like lavender, are beneficial as well. Focusing on breathing throughout the day, even outside of anxious moments, strengthens mindful muscles. This preparation ensures readiness for any potential panic attacks.
When to Practice Grounding Techniques for Anxiety
Although grounding techniques are certainly effective when you feel flooded and overwhelmed, it can help to practice them when you’re calm and composed, too.
Filidor says, “Practicing grounding techniques that focus on the body helps regulate the body periodically and helps you feel more prepared to tackle any challenges that may arise. However, when one is stressed, it is helpful to use grounding techniques to self-regulate throughout that period of anxiety or panic.”
These grounding techniques for anxiety can be incredibly effective. The “5, 4, 3, 2, 1 exercise” is especially helpful in bringing one back to the present. Holding ice and breathing in essential oils, like lavender, are beneficial as well. Focusing on breathing throughout the day, even outside of anxious moments, strengthens mindful muscles. This preparation ensures readiness for any potential panic attacks.
Adopt Healthy Habits to Ease Anxiety
See ReferencesThe Friend Who Keeps You Young.Johns Hopkins Medicine. Accessed November 15, 2023.
See References
Johns Hopkins Medicine. Accessed November 15, 2023.
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