13 Grounding Techniques You Can Use Anytime and Anywhere

By Maria Romaszkan

Clinically reviewed by Dr. Gayle Jensen-Savoie

Grounding techniques help you regain calm when you’re experiencing emotional dysregulation. Emotional dysregulation happens when you feel overwhelmed, overstimulated, experience difficult emotions or even have a panic attack.

People with ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, anxiety disorders or trauma survivors may find this blogpost especially useful, as they’re more likely to grapple with emotional dysregulation. However, everyone needs help recentering themselves from time to time — and it’s good to be prepared.

How to tell if you need grounding?

Each person’s experience differs, of course, but there are some common symptoms of dysregulation. They include:

  • Breathing problems, shortness of breath
  • Sudden irritability or mood swings
  • Feeling overwhelmed by emotions
  • Difficulty with concentration, mind going blank
  • Dizziness
  • Body seizing up, pulse spiking

You can feel the urge to drink alcohol, hit something or even self-harm. These are unhealthy coping mechanisms, and they may be the first thing that pops into your mind when you feel dysregulated. As difficult as it can be at first, try to use one of the techniques below instead.

Grounding techniques you can use anytime

With enough time and self-reflection, you can learn your triggers — things and situations that cause this emotional dysregulation. “For me, the best grounding technique is … questioning our thoughts and spotting the ones causing us to have emotional reactions,” says Leanne Maskell, an ADHD coach and the author of ADHD an A-Z: Figuring it Out Step by Step.

However, it’s not possible to always avoid stressful or upsetting situations. What can you do when you do need grounding?

Breathwork techniques

The basics

One of the easiest breathing techniques you can use anytime is to focus on exhaling longer than you’re inhaling. That’s it!

It can come in handy during a panic attack when you can’t recall other techniques. In this situation, your priority is to regulate your breathing and get that oxygen into your lungs.

Box breathing

The name comes from the using the same length of time to inhale, exhale and pause, often visualized as a box. To try this technique, inhale, hold your breath, exhale, and pause again, all on the count of four.

Breath and visualize

Dr. Erica Bowen, leadership coach and psychologist, says she combines “visualizing a ‘safe place’ … and doing recovery breathing at the same time — taking in a deep breath, and then counting slowly to 10 as I exhale. Repeat until I feel centered and grounded.”

Your “safe space” can be anything you want: an actual place or an imaginary one. You can be alone or surrounded by those who make you feel safe and supported.

Physical techniques

The 5-4-3-2-1 technique

One of the most popular grounding techniques encourages you to engage all your senses to anchor yourself in reality.

Describe:

  • Five things you can see
  • Four things you can touch
  • Three things you can hear
  • Two things you can smell
  • One thing you can taste

Focus on one of your senses

Instead of engaging all your senses, try focusing on just one. Touch something and feel its texture, shape, and even temperature.

Some people also use strong, sharp scents like peppermint. It can be essential oil or a pack of mints. You can always pop one into your mouth and focus on the taste.

Move your body

If you have time and space, try to shake it out, stretch, do some jumping jacks or run in place.

Even when you’re sitting or lying down, you can stretch a bit, do a body scan or perform progressive muscle relaxation.

Tapping

The Emotional Freedom Technique, or EFT, includes rhythmic tapping of your body in specific places. It’s a great way to focus on your body and breathing to ground yourself in reality.

“This is a very powerful tool I teach most of my clients to help them manage and control anxiety anytime,” says Bhavna Raithatha, life coach, speaker and psychotherapist. “It is also excellent for releasing trauma.”

Havening technique

Casey Forster, psychotherapist, stress relief expert and a mom to a 7-year-old son with ADHD, recommends the havening technique, which you can do with a partner or alone. It involves touching your upper body, breathing, talking, counting and visualization to ground yourself.

“I gently stroke both his arms from the shoulder to his fingertips repeatedly whilst saying ‘I love you. You are wonderful, beautiful and amazing, I love you,'” Forster says of how she uses the technique with her son. ” I keep repeating these words and get him to breathe. He stands still when standing still is normally impossible for him. It gives him a moment to reset.” Forster adds: “He loves [it] and asks me, ‘Can you calm me, please, mummy.’ It’s great for everyone and promotes self-love and self-belief.”

To do the havening technique alone, cross your arms as if you’re hugging yourself and rub your arms up and down.

Thor’s hammer

If you have space available, you can try this technique that combines moving your body and breathwork. Stand in a wide stance for stability. While inhaling, raise your arms above your head — you can imagine holding a hammer — and then bring them down between your legs on the exhale. Inhale going up and repeat.

“This (technique) is fantastic for everyone,” says Raithatha, though she cautions: “Be careful if you have a delicate back.”

Mental techniques

Use an anchoring phrase

Describing who and where you are, what time it is and what is happening causes you to concentrate on what is real.

An example of an anchoring phrase you can use is: “I’m (your name). I’m in the office/class. Today is (the date) and it’s (the current time). I live in/at/on (address) and I’m (occupation). I’m sitting next to my colleague/classmate (name).”

Repeat affirmations

Just like the anchor phrase, you can prepare affirmations in advance. They don’t have to be complicated. Here are some examples:

  • I am safe.
  • I am here, grounded and supported.
  • My mind and heart are at rest.
  • With each inhale, I’m drawing strength and calm into myself.

Describe your environment

Describe what’s happening around you. If it’s easier, you can imagine you’re telling a story to someone.

It can also mean looking for particular objects or beings — like street lamps or pigeons — or identifying and counting colors.

Write it down

You can try to put your feelings and thoughts into words. Writing — or better yet, a regular journaling practice — has many health benefits, from lowering stress to improving your ability to focus.

“Single-focus techniques such as writing or drawing bring the attention back to the center,” says Raithatha. “This does take practice to actually focus, but it can be incredibly calming.”

Sources:

Frontiers in Psychiatry: Schema Therapy for Emotional Dysregulation: Theoretical Implication and Clinical Applications

Frontiers in Psychiatry: Emotional Dysregulation in Children and Adolescents With Psychiatric Disorders. A Narrative Review

Medical News Today: What is ETF Tapping?

Medical News Today: Having Technique

JMIR Mental Health: Online Positive Affect Journaling in the Improvement of Mental Distress and Well-Being in General Medical Patients With Elevated Anxiety Symptoms: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial

Advances in Psychiatric Treatment: Emotional and physical health benefits of expressive writing

Explore More
Articles

The True Value of an Official ADHD Diagnosis

Brandy Butler, NBC-HWC, LVN Value is one of those words with multiple...
Read now
Podcasts

Part Two: ADHD and Time Blindness with Dr. Ari Tuckman

Today, we’re continuing our conversation with Dr. Ari Tuckman, exploring...
Listen now
Webinars

Unraveling the Puzzle: ADHD, Anxiety, and Depression Explained

Do you often feel ADHD, Anxiety, and Depression overlap, making...
Watch now

On Friday, October 25th, our phone and chat services will be unavailable from 1-5 PM ET, but we’re still here for you! Please submit a request ticket or leave us a voicemail at 888-493-2343, as our team will continue processing these requests. We appreciate your understanding.

The ADHD Online Team

We know Hurricane Milton is impacting many in Florida. Clinicians and patients may face challenges attending scheduled appointments without prior notice. Additionally, filling prescriptions may be difficult due to store closures. We’ll work with you to reschedule your appointment once conditions improve. Your safety and well-being are our top priorities. Stay safe!

The ADHD Online Team

Join Our ADHD Research Study

Mentavi Health is conducting ADHD research and is accepting a limited number of participants. Participants in our clinical study will get an ADHD Assessment at no cost. 

Who can join?
  • Age 19+
  • Primary language is English
  • Not previously diagnosed with ADHD
  • Not a current patient of ADHD Online or Mentavi Health
  • A resident of any of the 50 US states or DC (not including Puerto Rico or other territories)
 
Why participate?
Your involvement will help improve mental health care for everyone.
 

ADHD Online will be closed on Thursday, November 28 and Friday, November 29 in observance of Thanksgiving.

Live support will be unavailable during this time, but you can always submit a request or leave a voice message. We’ll get back to you when we return on Monday, December 1.

Each of our clinicians sets their own holiday hours. Check with your doctor for availability.

Are you looking to take our Assessment? It’s available all day, every day, whenever and wherever is best for you! 

Provide this form to your local practitioner. You could:

  • Send this link
  • Email the pdf
  • Print it out and bring it to your appointment

Ask your practitioner
to complete the form

In this form, your practitioner will request that ADHD Online continue to provide uninterrupted care

Return the form to us

You or your practitioner can return this form to us via email or fax it to 616-210-3118