What is grounding and how does it work?

Dec 29

What is grounding and how do I do it?

During your time in therapy, your therapist may teach you grounding techniques, which many initially seem strange. In this post, I provide some background on what grounding techniques are and some simple ones you can use on the go.

Why do therapists recommend grounding techniques?

Most of us can relate to times when we feel disconnected from the present moment. Anxiety, either everyday anxiety we all feel or anxiety that meets criteria for a diagnosis like Generalized Anxiety Disorder or Panic Disorder, takes us into the future. We worry about what may happen and conjure up multiple possible outcomes (generally not positive ones). It can also lead to physical symptoms of panic that can feel incredibly uncomfortable and consume our mental energy. Depression, on the other hand, gets us stuck in the past or feeling hopeless about the future. Trauma and PTSD can also transport us to the past as we remember what has happened and it can also lead to sometimes frightening sensations of being disconnected from our bodies (called depersonalization) or from our physical environment (called derealization).

There are times when we certainly need to access the past and think about the future to function, however, at other times, disconnecting from the present only serves to make us feel bad and interferes with our ability to be effective. This is where grounding techniques come in.

What is a grounding technique?

Grounding techniques are strategies we can use to help us get out of our heads or unstuck from uncomfortable physical sensations and to reconnect with our present moment. They help separate us from the physical or emotional distress by bringing our brains and bodies back into the immediate environment.

These techniques can be used in those moments when we feel overwhelmed and/or physically activated. They can be used when we are stuck in anxiety and rumination, during panic attacks, when confronted by a trauma flashback or associated disconnection from the here and now, or anytime when we notice that we are mentally maxed out.

Below are 5 commonly used grounding techniques. It is suggested that you try them during times that you do not feel overwhelmed so that you know how to effectively utilize them in moments that you need to bring yourself into the present. If these feel strange and you are working with a therapist, you might benefit from asking your therapist to provide you the opportunity to practice in session.

Grounding Technique 1: 5-4-3-2-1

This is a simple mindfulness technique that utilizes our senses to draw our attention into the present moment. Notice:

5 things you can see
4 things you can hear
3 things you can feel or 3 different textures
2 things you smell
and 1 taste in your mouth.

The beauty of this exercise is that it activates different parts of your brain, as information from each sense is initially processed in different parts of our brain.

Grounding Technique 2: Paced breathing

Oftentimes when we are overwhelmed, our fight-or-flight system (or the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system) is activated. For example, if your heart rate is elevated or you are breathing more quickly when experiencing anxiety, it means that your fight-or-flight system is activated. When this part of our nervous system is turned on, our brains get the message that we are at imminent risk and our bodies mobilize to fight off any threats. Though this branch of our nervous system was pivotal in keeping our species alive when our ancestors encountered saber tooth tigers, it’s activation in modern times is often unnecessary and ineffective. For example, while work presentations can be high stakes and overwhelming, they are highly unlikely to kill us.

Breathing techniques have two benefits. First, they help us slow down our breath and, as a result, our heart rate which will activate the rest-and-digest system (or the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system), communicating to our bodies that we are safe and can turn down the anxiety. Practicing paced breathing also gives us something to do mentally, which helps us move our attention from whatever is driving our distress to the present moment.

Sit upright and, if it is comfortable, close your eyes. If this feels uncomfortable, adopt a soft gaze.
Breathe in for 4 counts
Pause for 1 count
Breathe out for 4 counts
Pause for 1 count
Begin again

When using paced breathing, it is important that you aim to make your breaths slow and steady.

It is always helpful to practice this exercise a few times when you are not stressed so that you can get the hang of it.

Grounding technique 3: Focus on a strong sensation

Similar to the 5-4-3-2-1 technique, this grounding technique harnesses sensations to bring us back to the here-and-now. For this technique, however, you chose one sense to activate by exposing yourself to a strong physical sensation, smell, or taste (generally folks tend not to use sight in this exercise). A strong sensation brings us into the present moment and will also interrupt ruminative processes because you will likely find yourself concentrating on what you are experiencing. It is important to note that the purpose of this exercise is not necessarily to feel calm or soothed, rather it is a way to jolt you back to the here-and-now. For example, while holding an ice cube may be highly uncomfortable, it will likely get your mind off a fight you keep thinking about. Some ideas include:

Holding an ice cube tightly in your hand
Putting a drop of hot sauce on your tongue
Sucking on a lemon
Smelling strong aromatherapy oils
Taking a cold or hot shower
Listening to loud music
Having a strong cup of tea

Grounding technique 4: Play with numbers

Manipulating numbers is a great technique to use if you want to interrupt ruminative processes. Even if you are not a “math person,” doing simple math can serve as a grounding technique. By playing math games, you direct your attention away from whatever is on your mind.

Choose a number at random and think of 5 different mathematical ways to make that number. For example, if you chose 35, you may come up with: 5x7= 35; 45-10= 35; 70/2=35; 28+7= 35; 50-15= 35.
Serial 7s: Start from 100 and keep subtracting 7. For example, 100-7= 93; 93-7= 86 and so on.

Grounding technique 5: Describe what is going on around you

Describing facts about what is going on around you inherently requires that you attend to the present moment. You can ground yourself by stating (out loud or in your head) who you are, where you are, what is going on around you, how you feel etc.

For example, you may say, “My name is X and it is X day of the week. I am currently sitting on a brown couch in my living room which is on top of a cream- colored rug. There is a large painting on the wall to my left and a table with pictures of my friends and family to my right. I am currently petting my dog whose fur is soft. Outside the window, I see that the day is cloudy. I am feeling slightly warm right now and notice that my stomach is rumbling.”

Chloe Koeffler