A Powerful Strategy To Ground Your Anxiety Attack…
When it comes to “grounding” anxiety attacks, what many people think they want and what actually helps them can sometimes be two completely different things. In this article, I’ll share 3 easy and effective steps you can take to ground and stabilize yourself.
Maybe you find it hard to ground yourself during an anxiety attack, and you’re looking for how you can stop struggling? If so, read this!
Because here’s the thing: ask most people what they want during an anxiety attack and they’ll put “instant relief” at the top of the list.
But here’s the catch… you probably know deep down that “instant relief” is a fleeting experience, at best, when it comes to living with anxiety and worry. At worst, “instant relief” can multiply anxiety and worry. And this happens often.
You don’t have to do psychological research to figure out why…
Sure, “instant relief” might work to get an anxious person calm in the moment… maybe even keep things calm for the short-term. But the research doesn’t lie: over time, anxiety remedies based on short-term solutions fail. This is why you put your energy into long-term goals of health and healing so you can truly change how you’re living.
How To Reduce Anxiety Long-Term
So what can you do to “ground” yourself during an anxiety attack—and do it for the long-term?
Here are 3 easy steps to ground your high anxiety symptoms:
(By the way, these 3 steps are commonly known as the “333 rule” for anxiety)
STEP #1: SEE.
Look. Literally, just look around you.
When someone is taken over by the signs of anxiety attack, it’s a natural response for them to obsess about “instant relief.” However, that natural response can become an obstacle to long-term, lasting recovery.
Your chance to rise above the moment—and cope with anxiety over the long-term—is actually when you’re able to see a bigger picture. When you’re doing everything you can to soothe your fears and address your worries in ways you maybe can’t see “right away.”
In more immediate terms, you need to look around and name 3 objects in your environment. This is your “instant relief”… the relief of what’s familiar to you. Then focus on all the details of your 3 objects if you ever start feeling those signs of anxiety attack. Focusing can be a great way to switch your brain off the anxiety track once you recognize those signs but before it goes full attack.
Which brings us to:
STEP #2: HEAR.
This one’s as simple as the first. After you try grounding your anxiety visually, next you can listen to what you hear. So keep an ear open… take in the sounds… and name 3 of them.
After you do that, guess what… these sounds might give you a sense of place or where you are, and that can provide “instant relief.” Familiarity is comforting and can be found in what you hear. So go into the details.
People with anxiety need to choose which way they’re going to listen to the world, positive or negative, and commit to it. Fortunately, working with an anxiety therapist can help turn this into long-term growth. Because unless people with anxiety learn how to listen differently, they’re unlikely to find life-changing, long-term grounding of anxiety happens on its own.
If you want some extra help figuring out what you’re hearing from the world, here’s a tip: I offer anxiety therapy and together, we can work on managing anxiety symptoms… the mindsets you need to cope with anxiety before, during, and after it happens… and how to develop these mindsets into long-term skills and qualities in yourself… safely and always at your pace.
The reality of the situation is you probably need to figure these things out for yourself… my 12 sessions of anxiety therapy can help you and I hope you work it all out for yourself somehow. If you’re interested in working with me, you can find out more details about the 12 sessions here.
STEP #3: TOUCH.
You probably know many anxiety attacks include feeling a loss of control. And you can get a sense of control back as your “instant relief” when you pick 3 parts of your body to move… like folding your fingers together, wiggling your toes, or nodding your head up and down.
(Personal note: sometimes I like to rearrange the physical locations of 3 objects as a way of showing my mind I’m in control.)
In other words, if someone senses bad things coming, they can take back a sense of control by making 3 simple, physical movements that have a genuine sense of confidence… a level of mastery… and an ability to be repeated over and over… built in every time.
When it comes to grounding anxiety, first you need to see the world as it is so you can envision the world as you want it. Only then can you listen for the details as you remind yourself of the very real control you still have.
If not, then sure, a short-term, “quick fix” solution may stop the anxiety attacks for a round or two. But long-term peace will be hard to keep… unless you learn how to ground your anxiety symptoms without looking for “instant relief” or “quick fix” solutions.
Parting Words:
It’s taken me a long time to learn all this stuff (by the way, I’m still learning)… and I hope these 3 steps help you if you ever feel an anxiety attack coming on.
(If you’re interested in doing more research for yourself: you can look into what some people call the “54321 rule” for anxiety, which adds more to the “333 rule.”)
But there’s one more thing I want to say…
Once you do ground your anxiety… you need to know how to stay grounded. Yes, you could just ground yourself over and over each time… but you don’t need to if you “get” it.
And to help you “get” how to manage your anxiety symptoms for the long-term, I recommend you do anxiety therapy with me. Please reach out for a free 15-minute consultation.
Find out more about Anxiety Treatment.
About The Author
John Younes, JD, MA, LPCC, NCC is a trained counselor who owns a private practice in Denver, CO. In general, he specializes in depression treatment and anxiety treatment using existential and cognitive therapy practices.
Final word: if you’re thinking about suicide and are in immediate danger, please call your local emergency number… so for Denver, Colorado, call 1-844-493-8255 or text TALK to 38255. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.