Grounding techniques for coping with anxiety
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health problem in the United States, affecting 19 percent of adults each year. People with anxiety tend to let their thoughts run wild. They are constantly worried about what happened in the past or what will happen in the future.
Summary
- Grounding techniques for anxiety help calm the nervous system by interrupting anxious thought loops and shifting attention to the present moment. Download my free Quick Tips for Reducing Anxiety list.
- Effective grounding techniques for anxiety engage both the mind and body, recognizing that anxiety is experienced physically and mentally.
- Tools like deep breathing, muscle relaxation, and sensory awareness can quickly reduce panic and agitation.
- Regular practice makes grounding techniques for anxiety more accessible and effective during high-stress situations. Therapists can easily organize and manage homework for clients through an EHR.
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Additionally, anxiety triggers our natural fight or flight response, causing our sympathetic nervous system to shift into overdrive. As a result, people become highly agitated and want to avoid anything that has to do with anxiety.
The problem is that running away from your worries just makes them worse. So, how can someone cope with their anxiety if they are stressed and all they want to do is avoid it? Enter grounding techniques.
What are grounding techniques for anxiety?
Grounding techniques for anxiety are simple strategies that help you to calm your nervous system during moments of stress and panic. They interrupt anxious thought loops and “ground” you in a safe place where you can begin to reduce physical agitation and think more clearly.
Most grounding exercises for anxiety root you in the here and now, which prevents your thoughts from spiraling out of control. The best grounding tools work on both the mind and body, recognizing that both play a role in creating and maintaining anxiety.
Effective grounding techniques for anxiety
The following are some of the most effective grounding strategies for anxiety
The 5-4-3-2-1 exercise
This popular exercise urges you to pay attention to your senses. You are asked to notice five things you can see around you, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. This is a valuable tool because it focuses your attention on the present environment (rather than your worries) while, at the same time, engaging your bodily senses.
Deep breathing
Deep breathing is one of the classic grounding techniques for anxiety. When performed most effectively, breathing is done through the abdomen rather than the chest. Breaths are taken in through the nose, held in the abdomen, and then exhaled through the mouth. Diaphragmatic breathing has been found to calm the nervous system. Also, the focus on your breath distracts your mind from its worries.
Progressive muscle relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation is another established grounding exercise. In this practice, you tense and release all the muscle groups in your body one at a time. The muscle relaxation calms the body, and the process causes the person to concentrate on their muscle function rather than spiraling into the anxiety vortex. Briefer versions are available for instances when you don’t have time to run through every muscle.
Cold water reset
Cold water may seem a bit strange as a grounding technique, but it works on a lot of different levels. Splashing yourself with cold water helps to counter the body’s sympathetic response to stress and calms you down. It can also be a shock to the system and distract you from anxious thoughts. Similarly, holding or eating something cold, like an ice cube, provides a similar soothing effect and causes you to focus on the cold sensation.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a powerful approach to anxiety and grounding. Mindfulness allows your thoughts and feelings to wash over you without assigning judgment. Without judgment, thoughts are no longer anxiety-provoking. Additionally, mindfulness asks you to concentrate on an aspect of your body (e.g., breath) or the environment, which shifts the focus away from unpleasant thoughts.
The overall goal of mindfulness is to stay in the present and learn to tolerate stressful and unpleasant emotions. This worksheet is a good place to start to learn how to practice mindfulness.
Body scan
Another useful grounding technique is the body scan. Body scans can be done in several ways. The most common is in a chair. While sitting, you go through the five senses and see how they are impacting each part of your body, from head to toe. It is almost like a check-in with yourself that makes you aware of how you are interacting with the environment in the present moment. Another popular variation is to perform the scan while lying on the floor or standing.
Mental focus tasks
There is a whole class of grounding techniques that involve mental gymnastics. Some of the most popular include counting backward and memory games. These exercises require you to think enough about how to accomplish something that takes the focus off your worries.
For instance, counting backward from 100 by a certain amount makes you pay attention to mathematical calculations, rather than your worries. Another popular mental grounding exercise is the “categories game”, where you are asked to list items within a certain category (such as foods that start with vowels), and the “biography game”, where you are tasked to create your own biography.
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Considerations when using grounding strategies for anxiety
Grounding techniques for anxiety are primarily used during moments when someone feels overwhelmed by intense emotions. These may include panic attacks or feelings of dissociation. They are often part of an 'emergency kit’ to help anxious people cope with difficult situations.
Grounding is also an approach that some people use regularly to maintain clarity and tranquility, similar to a consistent mindfulness practice. Daily rehearsal is recommended.
The internet is full of examples of grounding techniques. Therapists should advise clients to try several to see which works best. Not all grounding techniques will feel like a good fit.
Practice regularly for stronger results. During times of distress, it can be difficult to perform any behavior in a constructive manner. People are more likely to succeed with tasks that have been well ingrained through repetition.
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Grounding techniques bust stress and anxiety
We live in a world where stress can be found around every corner. Grounding techniques are relatively brief exercises that can be used in almost any situation to quickly reduce anxiety and restore focus.
Stress-busting strategies are an invaluable resource for people experiencing a panic disorder, dissociation, and everyday tensions. People are encouraged to practice grounding techniques regularly to ensure they will be available and effective when needed most.
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References
Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Anxiety Disorders-Facts and Statistics. https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/facts-statistics
Cox, J. (2022, September 22) PsychCentral. Vagus nerve stimulation: Why icing it helps with anxiety. https://psychcentral.com/anxiety/vagus-nerve-cooling-anxiety
Harvard Health Publishing. Understanding the stress response. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response
Princing, M. (2021, September 1). Right as Rain by UW Medicine. This is why deep breathing makes you feel so chill. https://rightasrain.uwmedicine.org/mind/stress/why-deep-breathing-makes-you-feel-so-chill
Raypole, C, (2025, February 20). Healthline. Thirty grounding techniques to quiet distressing thoughts. https://www.healthline.com/health/grounding-techniques
FAQs about grounding techniques
What are grounding techniques used for?
They are used to manage intense emotions such as anxiety, panic, and dissociation by bringing attention back to the present.
Do grounding techniques replace therapy or medication?
No, they are coping tools that complement therapy and treatment but do not replace professional care.
How often should grounding techniques be practiced?
They are most effective when practiced regularly, not just during moments of crisis.
