Yati was always the level-headed friend of the group. Whenever anything went wrong and nobody would be in the right headspace to do certain things, Yati would be there to sort it out. Her friend Aamya was an anxious mess at times, she wouldn’t be able to think straight, she would stiffen up and or be a sobbing mess. Yati was always there to fix their issues meet people, finish leftover work etc. Aamya asked her one day, “How come I never see you undone or anxious even when things are bad?” after a particularly rough exam Aamya approached Yati. Yati smiled a bit and said, “Because I was always an anxious mess as a kid!” Aamya stared at her in disbelief, Yati continued, “I was always stressed and worried even at the age of 8 or 9 so my teacher pulled me aside one day and told me to centre myself, ground myself by taking deep breathes and thinking of outcomes of my actions instead of taking all the load at once!” What are Grounding Techniques?There are often times when our anxiety, stress and negative emotions reach a height we cannot escape from. When we feel this type of way, our body needs to find a handle of sorts to hold and balance itself just as you need to hold onto the handles when you are on unstable grounds. Basically, grounding techniques bring back your attention to the present and what you need to do instead of thinking of the past and the future. Neither the past nor the future can be changed, what you can do is something about the present. Think about the outcomes and see if they can be changed in any way, if they can then work on that. How do They WorkThey distract you from your anxious thoughts, there are many times when you are stuck in the loop of why, what, and who and make your anxiety worse. When you enforce grounding techniques, you can take your attention away from spiralling thoughts and help you calm down. They also help you stay present and connected to your surroundings, they reduce the feelings of being overwhelmed or disconnected. They basically calm your nerves by activating the parasympathetic nervous system. These techniques also help in different situations like when you are having a panic attack these techniques can help you regain control during a panic attack. The same with when you feel overwhelmed, if you are experiencing difficult emotions, these can help you cope with them. Some Grounding Techniques You Can Use5-4-3-2-1 TechniqueThis technique involves engaging your senses to ground yourself in the present moment. Identify 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 helps shift your focus away from anxious thoughts and brings you back to reality where things are still as they are and you have time to figure out your steps. Deep BreathingThis is something that everyone does to calm yourself down. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose, filling your lungs completely, hold your breath for a few seconds then exhale slowly through your mouth. You must do this several times for it to actually work for you, a few breaths in and out won’t cut it. Mindful ObservationWhen you are paying mindful attention to your surroundings and sensations, you will see how you can actually find the issue and solution. Notice the details of your environment, such as the colours, sounds, and textures. This will help you keep your senses and focus on the issue without spiralling out of control and losing control.