When you are feeling anxious or having a panic attack, knowing grounding techniques that can help you feel more in control can be extremely helpful. There are 2 popular methods for grounding yourself, and you can practice them when you are not feeling anxious so that when symptoms do arise, these techniques become second nature and feel natural.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation: People who experience anxiety often hold tension in their bodies throughout the day. By learning to release that tension and feel relaxed, you can combat feelings of anxiety as they arise. Practice tensing specific muscle groups and then relaxing them. For instance, I carry stress on my shoulders, so throughout the day, I raise my shoulders upward (tensing them) and then gracefully release them, letting my arms be weighted by gravity.
Body Scan: This grounding technique helps you raise awareness of your body and what is going on in it. The focus is not on feelings of good, bad, pain, or pleasure but on noticing a sensation (tingling, warmth, tightness, etc.). For this exercise, you lie down and simply bring awareness to your breath for a minute. Begin with your back, feeling the surface you are on. Then notice one foot and notice sensations as you slowly move up your leg, move to your other foot and up the leg, moving up to the stomach, chest, hands and arms, all the way to the top of your head. I love doing this at the end of the day.
Use nature as your grounding space. In the picture above, I simply lay my body on this rock, feeling the strong, safe surface beneath me. I breathe in deeply and catch the scent of pine. As I exhale, I release tension. With my arms stretched out, I ask the universe to give me all that I need. I will then bring in my arms and rest them on my body, feeling a connection. It doesn't take long, and soon, I am up and on a walk.
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