There will be moments that come around in your life that are unexpected.
There will be no way for you to have foreseen them. All the time and care you’ve put into building up your mental health and physical health only to be brought back down in an instant.
These are the times you’ll need your emergency resources.
Grounding exercises will pull you out of your current crisis and bring you back to the bigger picture and yourself.
A lot of times with anxiety and PTSD, there can be certain smells, places, resemblances of people, settings, and so much more that can be triggering.
When I was younger and less invested in my personal and mental health, I just avoided any and all situations that would be triggering.
And to be completely honest with you, there are certain places in my hometown that I avoid like the plague. Or if I have to go by it, I look to the other side and think happy thoughts.
I’ve been away from home for most of my adult life, even though my parents would like me to come home more often. It’s just not in the cards for me. Don’t worry though, my parents just come visit me :).
I may be using avoidance methods of dealing with my past trauma and even though I have made so much progress in my EMDR therapy, I just know that for my mental health, exposure therapy is not it.
So, I will continue to avoid for now.
I recognize not everyone is able or privileged to have that choice. For some, they may live their trauma every day. Their anxiety is debilitating. They have altered their entire life around dealing with trauma and the mental toll it takes on them.
If you’re in that situation, I HIGHLY encourage you to seek out professional resources to heal. Not everything is cost-inhibited when it comes to therapy and healing. When I was in a less desirable financial situation, I was able to find state/county resources that were available to me for a free or low cost.
However, if you feel like you need some in-the-moment advice when you are feeling triggered, here are 3 grounding exercises to bring you back to yourself.
#1 Breathe.
Close your eyes tight and focus on your breathing. In. Out. In. Out. In. Out. The deeper the better but just focus on the act of breathing and blocking out that around you.
If closing your eyes are not an option, the same can be done with your eyes open. Instead, focus on something in the distance or even in your hand. Focus intently on the details while actively breathing.
–> Bonus points if you can place a hand over your heart/chest while you’re breathing to deepen the connection to yourself during these grounding exercises.
#2 Utilize Your Senses (5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Method)
Now, depending on what has specifically triggered you in this moment of crisis, use this grounding exercise to utilize the other senses. For me, sometimes a certain smell can trigger my PTSD. In that case, I will utilize my sight, hearing, feeling, and taste senses.
Ask yourself to describe what you are experiencing in detail.
The more you can isolate the other senses from the one that was triggering, the quicker you’ll be able to ground yourself.
#3 Move Your Body
Drum your fingers on the table or your leg. Clench your fists hard and then release, repeat. Bounce your leg. Pop your fingers. Stretch. Jump. Skip. Dance. Shake the wiggles out.
Have you ever watched a “behind the scenes” documentary about a performer? Most, if not all, will do some sort of movement before taking the stage. A jump around, shaking of the arms/hands.
Movement is a way to release the extra energy you’re feeling.
Good or bad feelings, anxiety can manifest in different intensities. To be able to physically move it through your body is a great way to direct that energy elsewhere and process the emotion.
In the words of Taylor Swift, “Shake It Off”
#4 The Physical Earth
I know this post is titled “Top 3 Grounding Exercises […]” and that’s because this last tip is only available if you have access to it.
To physically ground yourself is to connect your body to the earth.
For people who live in bigger cities, access to green spaces might not be easily available. However, if you do have access and are comfortable I encourage you to go outside, take off your shoes and just stand there.
Maybe for a less awkward way to physically ground yourself, sit down with your shoes off and have a little moment. Breathe in the fresh air and pay attention to how your body is feeling and the other senses interacting with the world around you (using the other techniques listed above).
Much like how an inhaler or EpiPen works in a time of crisis, these methods are best to immediately help but then require further assistance.
It’s worth it to explore why you are being triggered by certain things and to process them.
EMDR was immensely helpful when I living my life in a constant state of stress. For the first time, I was able to wake up and not have my first thoughts of the day be consumed with worry.
Living in neutrality has been the best blessing.
So take these exercises but know more work might be needed to fully heal or better manage your anxiety and/or PTSD.
It’s also OK if, for you, avoidance is the best way to cope. I wouldn’t suggest it as a long-term fix but listen to yourself and seek out professional help when you’re ready.
Pin, Share, & Comment what are some ways you’ve been able to ground yourself when in a crisis.
*featured image by Steven Ritzer on Unsplash
