First off, you need to try and take slow, deep breaths. Concentrate on the air going in and out of your lungs. If you can try and imagine the air going out as a negative colour for you, taking away all the negative thoughts and feels you have, and the air going in as a nice bright happy positive colour. Once you have managed to focus on your breathing, turn your attention to something in the room. It doesn't matter what, it can be anything, a windowsill, a table, a hairbrush, whatever.

Try and work your way through what your senses are telling you about this object: what does it look like? does it have any unusual features? what colour is it? remember: don't let feelings about the object come into this, such as: i hate that **** table, or i should have washed that mug out god im useless-you are just noticing.

Now go onto the next sense, maybe hearing. If you tap the object, does it make a sound? If so what kind? Is it loud? Does it sound hollow? Then onto touch (this is the important one for grounding yourself). What does the object feel like to touch? Run your hands over the edges and surface of th eobject taking in whether it is rough or smooth, are there any dents in it, and so on. Then, if you don't feel too silly, see if it smells of anything. Even wood has it's own smell, and it can really help to ground you in reality, away from the flashback.

Katy Buttons