Focus on the colour of things, really notice it. Pick things up and feel the texture, try to focus on that and nothing else. Wrap yourself up in a blanket and feel where you end and the blanket begins.
Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes but when you look back, everything is different…
you once called your brain a hard drive, well say hello to the virus.
Choose 3 objects (anything close to hand) and focus on them one by one, over and over again. Eventually you'll be too absorbed with concentrating on the objects to think about anything else. This works for me sometimes.
1. Say your name, location, and what day and year it is, out loud. As many times as you need to.
2. Sit on a chair, and plant your feet flat on the floor. Close your eyes and touch the chair. Describe the texture, if it's hot or cold, and try to feel your feet on the floor and focus on them.
3. Read words around the area, even if it's labels on bottles. Read them out loud if you want. This will help you focus.
4. Sit down on a chair. Cross your legs (down by the shins). Sit up straight. Stretch your arms out in front of you and put one over the other. Hold your own hand, and flip your hands backwards so they come to rest on your chest. Close your eyes, and breathe in and out. When you breathe in, put your tongue on the roof of your mouth, and when you breathe out, let your tongue fall. This focuses you on your breathing, and reminds you of your existence.
hey marko, I'm really struggling with this too, hope some of the tips here help you, if you ever need to talk you can pm me. I'm starting a stress management course soon thats meant to help so if I can get any tips that help I could sahre them. Take care.
hey marko, I hope you hear from them soon. Just to let you know, I went for my appointment today and she decided I'd benefit more from individual pyschotherapy rather than the anxiety course, as she said my symptoms are so differnt from what they'll be doing on the course. She said it's not panic attacks and anxiety as my doctor said, but derealization. I'd rather the therapy anyway so I'm feeling hopeful now. I might be seeing a nurse who helped me a lot before when I was in day hospital, and it was great just to talk about it today. she kew exactly what I was talking about and didnt think I was crazy or anything. Hope you find something that helps.
Marko,
There are bunches of grounding methods out there. You need to find what works for you and practise them while you aren't in crisis.
When you start to slip into the spiral of anxiety finding a distraction and grounding yourself helps a lot.
Here are some techniques
These especially help if you experience depersonlisation and derealisation..
Try to ground yourself by trying any one of the techniques listed below. Once you have found techniques that work for you type them up and print them out and keep them handy to ensure you'll use them when you need them:
Pull up the daily newspaper on your browser, like The Washington Post. Notice the date and read a current article.
Stomp your feet to remind yourself where you are. Press your feet firmly into the ground.
Try to notice where you are, your surroundings including the people, the sounds like the t.v. or radio.
Concentrate on your breathing. Take a deep cleansing breath from your diaphragm. Count the breaths as you exhale. Make sure you breath slowly so you don't hyperventilate.
Cross your legs and arms. Feel the sensations of you controlling your body.
Call a friend and ask them to talk with you about something you have recently done together.
Take a warm relaxing bubble bath or a warm shower. Feel the water touching your body.
Mentally remind yourself that the memory was then, and it is over. Give yourself permission to not think about it right now.
Keep a rubberband on your wrist and pluck it -- feel the slight sting as it touches your skin.
Realize that no matter how small you feel, you are an adult. If you have kids think about them now.
Find your pulse on your wrist and count the beats per minute. Concentrate on feeling the blood pulse throughout your body.
Go outside and sit against a tree. Feel the bark pressing against your body. Smell the outside aromas like the grass and the leaves. Run your fingers through the grass.
If you are sitting, stand. If you are standing sit. Pay attention to the movement change. Reminding yourself -- you are in control.
Rub your palms, clap your hands. Listen to the sounds. Feel the sensation.
Speak out loud. Say your name, or your childs name or significant others name.
Hold something that you find comforting, for some it may be a stuffed animal or a blanket. Notice how it feels in your hands. Is it hard or soft?
Eat something. How does it taste, sweet or sour? Is it warm or cold?
If you have a pet (a dog, cat, hamster, gerbil) use that moment to touch them. Feel their fur and speak the animals name out loud.
Go to a mirror and make yourself smile. Watch your reflection as the expression changes. How does it make you feel.
Step outside. If it's warm, feel the sun shining down on your face. If it's cold, feel the breeze. How does it make your body feel?
During a non-crisis time make a list of things that are in your house and what room they are in. Give this list to friends that you can call during a flashback so they can help remind you what is around you.
During a non-crisis time make a list of positive affirmations. Print them out and keep them handy for when you are having a flashback. During a flashback read the list out loud.
Take a walk outside and notice your neighborhood. Pay attention to houses and count them.
Listen to familiar music and sing along to it. Dance to it.
Make a list of known triggers and give it to your therapist. Ask them if they can help you find a way to desensitize those triggers so they aren't quite so powerful.
Write in your journal. Pay attention to yourself holding the pencil. Write about what you are remembering and visualize the memory traveling out of you into the pencil and onto the paper. Tear the paper up or seal it in an envelope. Give it to your therapist for safekeeping.
Go online and talk with an online friend. Write an email.
Imagine yourself in a safe place. Feel the safety and know it.
Watch a favorite t.v. program or video. Play a video game.
If you have a garden, work in it. Feel your hands running through the dirt.
Wash dishes or clean your house.
Meditate if you are comfortable with it.
Exercise. Ride a bike, stationary or otherwise. Lift weights. Do star jumps
I've been thinking of some things that help me, the main one is to go asleep, I know that's not always an option though, also focusing on something familiar, reading, playing with a pet, looking at my feet or hands for some reason, I'm sure there was another one I can't think of now. But thinking about this thread helped me with it today, to know I'm not alone, so thanks for making it.
It's probably already been mentioned but it's a good method (I've found) to focus no your surroundings really hard, the smell, taste, textures, colours of things etc.
Keep strong.
See I cannot feel this, not matter how you try and in the real world, there's no goodbyes.
