A racing heart, tight chest, spiraling thoughts. Anxious moments can feel like they'll last forever. Grounding techniques help bring your attention back to the present, where you're safe right now. Practice them on calm days so they're ready on hard ones.
The 5-4-3-2-1 method
Name, slowly:
- 5 things you can see
- 4 things you can feel (your feet on the floor, your sleeve)
- 3 things you can hear
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing you can taste
Box breathing
Breathe in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4. Repeat four times. A longer exhale (out for 6) is especially calming.
Cool water
Splash cool water on your face or hold something cold. It can quickly settle your body.
Feet on the floor
Press your feet into the ground. Notice the weight of your body in the chair. Say, "I am here. I am safe right now."
Name the thought
"I'm having the thought that something bad will happen." Putting space between you and the thought makes it less powerful.
Move a little
Walk, stretch, shake out your hands. Anxiety is energy; give it somewhere to go.
Hold something steady
Many people carry a small object to touch when anxious: a smooth stone, a ring, a bracelet. The texture brings you back to now.
When to get help
If anxiety is frequent, intense or stops you from doing things you want to do, talk to a doctor or therapist. Anxiety is very treatable.
A reminder to carry
A bracelet engraved with Just Breathe, worn on your wrist, can be both the object to touch and the reminder of what to do.
If you're in crisis, call or text 988 in the US. This is general information, not medical advice.
