Unique Grounding and Distress Tolerance Techniques

Hello, 

My name is Ronan and Im someone who has struggled with PTSD and dissociative issues for a very long time. It seems often when I go to access resources, I get the same suggestions that dont really work for me over and over and over! 

Are you absolutely sick of being reccommended 5-4-3-2-1? Are you tired of being told to try count your breaths? Do you feel "Ive already tried that!!! I need something else!!!"?

Here I will discuss some excercises and distress tolerance techniques that actually help me. Some of these are still common, but I feel they are worth going over anyway. There are 7 suggestions for 7cups!

1. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) 

When I feel so spacey that I cant move my body, this is the excercise I choose. I start just by wiggling my toes. once I can wiggle them, I clench them for 10 seconds and then relax them. I do this with other muscle groups (fingers, forearms, thighs, buttocks) until I feel like I am in control of my body again.  

2. Sensory Grounding 

This technique helps you feel more in your body by creating sensations that are difficult to ignore.

• Running cold water over your wrists or splashing it on your face
• Holding ice
• Eating something very sour
• Rubbing a rough or spikey texture like velcro or asphalt
• Smelling candles

Try a few things and see what sensations are best for you. 

3. Get Moving 

If your anxiety is spiking out of control, we often refer to this as fight/flight. We can simulate flight by getting our body moving. This can look like many things, pick something that works for you and that you find enjoyable.

• Go on a walk (it can be something simple like checking your mail!) 
• Dance 
• Do an excercise routine
• Run on a treadmill or use an elliptical 
• Clean
• Play tag

Whatever feels easiest to do in the moment! 

4. Sing 

This one feels very silly to do when you are having a panic attack and tears are streaming down your face, but it is very effective. Singing stimulates your vagus nerve and can help your body reset. also the absurdity of singing your favorite tune while you feel like a mess can make you laugh which also helps stimulate the vagus nerve. Look up a karaoke video on youtube and sing your little heart out. 

5. Look at an Aquarium 

Studies show that watching an aquarium can help us feel calmer. it slows down our heartrate and lowers our blood pressure. if you have fish at home, youre in luck!! if not, many zoos and aquariums have life feeds and/or post videos of their animals. I find the jellyfish cam at Monterey Bay Aquarium particularly soothing. 

https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/live-cams

6. Breathing With Visualization 

This is the only breathing excercise that helps me. When I have to count, I find myself forgetting how to breathe. This is my excercise of choice whenever I have to get bloodwork done. I find it works best when Im going into a situation that can make me nervous better than it works for helping a full blown panic attack. I think of it as panic attack prevention. 

I close my eyes and visualize a candle in front of me. to remember to breathe in deeply from my nose, I think of smelling a candle. to remember to breathe out from my mouth, I visualize blowing the candle out. 

this helps me stay calm by making sure Im not holding my breath. 

7. Window Swap

Are you ever bored in a way that leans on listless, itching for adventure or exploration but too tired to leave your house? I reccomend window swap. Window swap shows videos taken from peoples windows all over the globe. Its a very cool amd unique way to see the world. you'll see beautiful cityscapes, rural areas, forests, birdfeeders, people, pets, desserts, rivers, you name it. it randomly selects a video for you, so its a fun surprise with no pressure for your weary brain to decide. 

https://www.window-swap.com/

That's all I got for today! hopefully these are helpful to someone and can help reduce your stress or make a difficult moment in time a little easier for you. 💜