The Quill #3: Self-Care Corner #1

Grounding Techniques

When people think of anxiety, they don’t usually associate physical symptoms with it. But for those who do experience anxiety attacks, these physical symptoms are a struggle some days: the heart beating faster, the sweaty/clammy palms, the stomach aches and pains, etc. They were for me!

I was so nervous about messing up at work when I first started in my position. I left the floor before fainting a handful of times. My heart would be racing, the production line would get blurry, and I would feel the emergent need to sit down. A therapist explained grounding techniques to me, and one of our fellow classmates reminded me of them just recently.

Grounding techniques! They are great for managing anxiety and helping you focus on the present and attempt to reduce the feelings of panic. Here are just a few effective examples:

• •  5-4-3-2-1 Technique: This involves using your senses to bring you back to the present. You need to identify:
    • 5 things you can see
    • 4 things you can touch
    • 3 things you can hear
    • 2 things you can smell
    • 1 thing you can taste
  • Deep Breathing: Take a moment to breathe deeply. Inhale through your nose for a count of four, hold for four, and exhale through your mouth for a count of four. Repeat this a handful of times.
  • Physical Grounding: Focus on the physical sensations of your body. You can press your feet into the ground, feel the texture of an object in your hand, or even take a walk and pay attention to how your body moves.
  • Count Backwards: Start at 100 and count backwards by threes. (100, 97, 94, etc.) This can help distract your mind from those anxious thoughts.