- Move – Move your body, with intensity if possible. Dance, jump, air-punch, high-knees, or try big stretching movements. Theoretically, movement with higher intensity and a longer period (like 20-60 minutes) is an ideal way to cue your body that the stress cycle is over, but anything you can do will help. If you can’t get up and move in the moment, try clenching and unclenching your fists, your toes in shoes, or progressively tightening and relaxing the muscles through your body.
- Breathing – Try box breathing (in 4, hold 4, out 4, hold 4) or any other deep breathing technique that you like. Deep, calm breathing cues your body that you are safe.
- Connect to your 5 Senses –
- Touch – notice the temperature of the air, the sensation of your feet on the ground, the texture of your clothes between your fingers, and the support of the chair beneath you. You can even carry a worry stone or something to touch when thoughts or feelings get intense – imagine rubbing the thoughts into the stone or erasing them as you rub your fingers over it.
- Taste- I have one client who uses mint gum to calm her panic attacks. Maybe keep some mints, hard candy or gum handy and pop one in your mouth when needed. Pay attention to the flavor and savor how it feels. What part of your tongue can taste it the strongest?
- Sound – Identify 3 or 4 distinct sounds you can hear. Are there any sounds you prefer? Or ones that feel irritating?
- Sight – How many different colors can you see? What is the smallest item you notice from where you sit? The largest? Is there anything reflective? Shiny? Matte?
- Smell – I like to carry something that smells nice – my personal preference is Burt’s Bees chapstick – pull it out and take a whiff when you need grounding
- Thought Stopping – Mentally say “STOP” when an intrusive thought arises. Say it out loud if you’re alone. Try picturing a stop sign as you say the word in your mind.
- Replace the Thought – Immediately replace the intrusive thought with a go-to thought that you’ve identified earlier. Something like “no” or “stop” works. Or use a favorite short quote, verse, or grounding statement like “I am safe,” “All I have to do is breathe,” or “This is just a thought. It has no power.”
- Mindfulness Exercises – Let the thought pass without judgment. Practice watching the intrusive thought or image drift down the stream, blow across the sky like a cloud, get erased with an eraser, or fade to black. Sometimes, it might help to attach an image or idea to the thought, like imagining a blaring siren that gets fainter as it fades into the distance.
- Self-Compassion – Experiencing intrusive thoughts is common. The thoughts that pop up in our minds mean nothing about who we are or what we want. Acknowledge to yourself that it’s hard to have thoughts or feelings like these but that they don’t define who you are.
- Positive social interaction – We don’t smile at or compliment others when we are under high stress. Doing an activity like that cues our body that we are safe and the threat is over. It also promotes connection.
- Listen – Get a favorite song or relaxation recording and have earphones handy in case you need external coaching – you can take a quick bathroom break and listen for a few minutes
- Temperature Therapy – While you’re on the bathroom break, splash your face with cold water. Sometimes, shifting our sensory input can help. Or maybe try sipping on super ice-cold water and see if you can feel it running down your throat, into your belly.