Anxiety

We need to get the reasoning part of your brain back online. Follow the steps below.

1. Find your breath. Don’t control it, just find it. Notice it.


2. Breathe in for 3 and out for 6. Do this for two minutes. Breathe in through your nose and breath out like you’re slowly blowing out a candle. Slower the better.


3. Now concentrate on the breath as it enters your nose. Feel the breath against your nostrils. Feel it on the tip of your nose.


4. Close your eyes. Concentrate on the temperature difference of your breath as you breathe in and out. Cold coming in, warm going out. Do this for a minute.

• Find your center. Pause, breathe.


• Check yourself. Am I physically hurt?


• Get real. Are my basic needs met? (food, water, shelter, clothing)


• Identify support. Do I have at least one person who cares about and understands me?


• Evaluate. Are my thoughts and feelings causing me to feel unsafe?

Remember, intense thoughts and feelings are TEMPORARY. They will pass if you calm your body by focusing and breathing. They will not last forever. Go talk to someone, distract yourself, move your body. You are not your thoughts. Take control.

Anxiety can make you feel outside your body. Like you are on the outside looking in. Remember, your mind and body are linked - you can think your way back into your body and feel your way back into your brain. Do the grounding exercises below until you feel like you are back in control.

1. Find and name 5 things you can SEE
2. Find and name 4 things you can TOUCH
3. Find and name 3 things you can HEAR
4. Find and name 2 things you can SMELL
5. Find and name 1 thing you can TASTE