Grounding techniques for when you are feeling disconnected from your environment

Grounding techniques work by drawing your attention back into your body and your immediate physical surroundings. They’re especially useful when you are experiencing a racing mind or a feeling of being disconnected from your environment. These techniques are coping strategies to use in the moment.

Grounding can work through your senses or through your body. Different techniques work for different people, and even for the same person on different days. It helps to have a few options ready rather than relying on just one.

Grounding through your senses

Holding a grounding object

• Keep a small object nearby, such as a smooth stone, a piece of textured fabric, or a stress ball, that you can hold
• Describe its colour, temperature, and texture to yourself
• Focusing closely on how it feels can help bring your attention into the present moment and interrupt overwhelming thoughts

Feeling your feet on the floor

• Press your feet firmly into the ground
• Notice the sensation beneath your feet. Is the ground cold or warm? Hard or soft? What texture is it?
• This simple act can help you feel more connected to your body in the present moment

The 5-4-3-2-1 method

• Notice 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste
• Working through your senses one at a time gives your mind a clear and simple task to focus on

Grounding through your body

Grounding is also helpful if you are experiencing physical agitation, like a racing heart, tense muscles, blurry vision, or a general sense of restlessness. Body-based grounding works by calming these physical symptoms of distress, which can in turn help ease some of the mental intensity too.

Slow and controlled breathing

• Breathe in for a count of five, hold for five, breathe out for five, and pause for a count of five
• Slower exhales in particular can help activate your body’s natural calming response

Progressive muscle relaxation

• Pick an area of your body, like your shoulders or fists
• Tense the muscle group as much as you can for five seconds
• Release the tension and notice the difference
• Working through different muscle groups can help release physical tension in places you may not have realised you were holding it

Having a warm or cold drink

• Take small, slow sips of a drink of your choice
• Focus on its temperature and sensation. Is the drink warm or cold? Flat or fizzy? Sweet or sour?
• This can give your body and senses something concrete to notice

As with any grounding technique, these tend to work best when practised regularly. The more familiar a technique feels, the easier it is to use when you really need it. Grounding is meant to help manage distress in the moment, but it does not replace professional support. Reach out for help if:

• Distress is getting worse rather than easing, even after trying grounding techniques
• You feel unsafe, or unable to keep yourself safe
• This is a new experience, or symptoms are escalating quickly
• You have thoughts of harming yourself or someone else

Supporting someone

If someone you know is trying to ground themselves, you can help by:

• Staying calm and speaking slowly. Your own energy can help, even if you’re not doing the exercise with them
• Offering to do it with them. Some people find it easier to focus on their senses or breathing alongside someone else, such as counting a breathing exercise out loud together
• Not rushing them. Grounding can take a few minutes to have an effect. Give the person the space and time to carry out the activity rather than expecting an instant change
• Knowing when to seek help. If you’re worried about their safety or the situation is escalating, contact their GP, a helpline, or emergency services

Feeling overwhelmed and want to talk to someone?

• Get anonymous support 24/7 with our text message support service
• Connect with a trained volunteer who will listen to you, and help you to move forward feeling better
• Whatsapp us now or free-text SPUNOUT to 50808 to begin.
• Find out more about our text message support service

If you are a customer of the 48 or An Post network or cannot get through using the ‘50808’ short code please text HELLO to 086 1800 280 (standard message rates may apply). Some smaller networks do not support short codes like ‘50808’.