15 grounding techniques

Grounding is a very useful tool when you are feeling symptomatic. It is finding a way to stay in the present moment instead of giving in to what your mental illness is causing you to experience. It can be used to decrease anxiety, help with reality testing, stop flashbacks, reduce dissociation, end panic attacks and more. 

There are lots of different grounding techniques. Having strategies in mind ahead of time can help reduce distress in the moment. Knowing which ones work are a matter of trial and error, so here is a list of 15 that you can try out.

     

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1. Name five things you can see, three things you can hear and one thing you can smell. 
2. Describe your environment (“The carpet is beige and soft. The chair I’m sitting in is made of wood. The walls are painted green,” etc.).
3. Focus on your breathing. Breathe in through your nose for four counts, hold your breath for seven and exhale through your mouth for eight.
4. Carry something small that you can play with (bracelet, stress ball, putty, etc.). Focus while you use it.
5. Go through the alphabet and think of something for each letter (names of bands, movies, cities, etc.).
6. Get a hot or icy drink and focus on the sensation of drinking it.
7. Smell something you find calming. You can put on lotion or carry a handkerchief with perfume or essential oils on it.
8. Take a shower or a bath. Notice how the water feels on your skin and imagine that all of your stress is being washed away.
9. Say reassuring things to yourself out loud. (“I am in my apartment and it’s safe here. I am loved. I can call a friend if I need to,” etc.)
10. Move. Go for a walk, wiggle your toes; do whatever works for the situation you’re in.
11. Mentally go through everything you did today. (“My alarm went off at 8:00. I got up and took a shower. I ate breakfast,” etc.)
12. Listen to music you find comforting. Pick out all the different instruments                                                                          and notice how each of them sounds.
13. Engage in a hobby you enjoy. Let everything else go while you focus on doing what you love.
14. Write down exactly what you’re thinking and feeling. Imagine it disappearing into the paper. You can tear it up when you’re done, if you’d like, and throw those thoughts and feelings away.
15. Put your feet on the floor. Keep your eyes open. Engage all five of your senses. Force yourself to stay in the present.

What grounding techniques work for you? Let’s make a list in the comments.