Hit the Panic Button.

Written by Alix Long

*When you feel an anxiety attack coming on and panic is taking over your body and mind reach for this somatic exercise to down regulate your nervous system.*

I'm not a healthcare professional, but if you're experiencing frequent panic attacks, it's crucial to seek immediate help from qualified medical experts. However, I can suggest a somatic exercise that many find useful in navigating intense emotional states, including panic. This is the "5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Exercise," which focuses on bringing awareness back to your physical environment to counteract the feelings of panic and disconnection from reality.

5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Exercise

Objective

To ground yourself in the present moment by engaging all five senses, redirecting your focus from panic to your immediate surroundings.

Steps

  1. Five Sights: Look around your environment and identify 5 things you can see. Speak them out loud if you can.

  2. Four Touches: Touch 4 different objects around you. This could be the chair you're sitting on, your clothing, or a table near you. Describe the textures out loud.

  3. Three Sounds: Close your eyes for a moment and identify 3 distinct sounds you can hear. This could be the sound of your own breathing, a distant car, or a bird chirping.

  4. Two Smells: Identify 2 smells. If you can't immediately smell anything, walk to a different area or remember two of your favorite smells.

  5. One Taste: If you have something to eat or drink nearby, take a sip or a bite. Fully savor the taste. If you don't have anything, you can simply focus on the taste of your own mouth or imagine your favorite taste.

  6. Deep Breathing: Throughout this exercise, maintain a pattern of deep breathing. Inhale through the nose, hold briefly, and exhale fully through the mouth. Try to make your exhales longer than your inhales.

Reflection

After completing this exercise, take a moment to check in with yourself. How are you feeling now compared to before? Are your emotions and physical sensations more manageable?

Somatic exercises like this can serve as tools to break the cycle of panic by diverting your focus from internal sensations to external stimuli. They can help you realize how the panic is an emotional state that, while intensely real, is also temporary.

Would you like to share your experience with the exercise? Did it help to mitigate your feelings of panic?