The 5-4-3-2-1 Technique

Anxiety is a part of the human experience; we have all experienced it at some point or other. 

The 5-4-3-2-1 Technique is highly effective for panic attacks, dissociation, and for dealing with mind monkeys. It can be very helpful during periods of anxiety or panic by helping to ground you in the present when your mind is bouncing around between various anxious thoughts.

Before starting this exercise, pay attention to your breathing. Slow, deep, long breaths can help you maintain a sense of calm or help you return to a calmer state. Once you find your breath, quickly and immediately go through the following steps to help ground yourself: 

5: Acknowledge FIVE things you see around you. It could be a pen, a book, a phone, a spot on the wall, anything in your surroundings.

4: Acknowledge FOUR things you can touch around you. It could be your hair, a table, or the ground under your feet. 

3: Acknowledge THREE things you hear. This could be any external sound. If you can hear your belly rumbling, that counts! Focus on things you can hear outside of your body.

2: Acknowledge TWO things you can smell. Maybe you are in a classroom or office and you can smell pencil, or maybe you are in your bedroom and smell a pillow. If you need to take a brief walk to find a scent you could smell soap in your bathroom, or nature outside.

1: Acknowledge ONE thing you can taste. What does the inside of your mouth taste like—gum, coffee, or the sandwich from lunch?

This technique is one of many options you could use if you are feeling anxious or overwhelmed. It immediately brings you into the here and now. You can use this technique anytime, anywhere, and it’s free.