Hi, @colleenyoung,
Grounding is when you move away from your emotions you feel with a PTSD episode which you could have depression, anxiety, panick attacks, and saddeness. Groumding is for emotional pain which is what PTSD is what grounding does is make you feel safe it puts a healthy distance between you and those negative feelings.when grounding keep your eyes open, scan the room and turn the light ght on to stay in touch with the present.you use grounding when you are: faced with a trigger, or having a flashback, disassociating, having a substance craving, or when your emotional pain goes above
6 (on a 0 to 10 scale). There are a few different ways of grounding .
Ways to ground
Mental grounding
1.describe your environment in detail using all your senses for example the walls are white and the describe the whole room using everything from color to shape to size,textures, colors, smells, numbers, and temperature.
2.play a"categories" game with yourself. Try to think of types of dogs and things like that .
3. Do an age progression if you have regressed to a younger age (e.g., 8 years old), you can slowly work your way back up (e.g. "I'm now 9") and so on each year until you are back to your original age .
3.describe an everyday activity in great detail. For example, decsribe a meal that you cook (e.g., First I feel the potatoes and cut them into quarters, then I boil them in water."), And keep going until you have described the whole meal .
4.imagine. use an image: example glide slong on skates away from your pain; change the TV channel and so on.
5say a safety statement. Example: my name is; I am safe right now I am in the present, not the past.
6. Read something, saying each word to yourself. Or read each letter backwards so that you focus on the letters and not the meaning of the words
7. Use humor. Think of something funny to jolt you out of your mood.
8.count to tenor sat the alphabet very s..l..o..w..l..y.
9.repeat a favorite saying to yourself over and over (e.g. the sernity prayer or you could say the first verse of a song). Over and over.
Physical grounding
1. run cool water over your hands.
2.grab tightly onto your chair as hard as you can.
3. Touch various objects around you: a pen. Keys, your clothing. Notice textures, colors, materials, weight ,temperature. Compare objects you touch:touch is one colder, warmer, lighter, or heavier.
4. Dig your heels into the floor - literally "grounding" them! Notice the tensioncenterdin your heels as you do this. Remind yourself that you are connected to the ground.
5. Jump up and down.
6.notice your body: the weight of your body in the chair; wiggling your toes in your socks; the feel of your back against the chair. You are connected to the world.
7. Carry a ground object in your pocket- a small object (a small rock, clay, ring, price of cloth or yarn).
8. Stretch. Extend your fingers, arms or legs as far as you can; roll your head around
9. Walk slowly, noticing each footstep
10. Eat something describe the flavors in detail to yourself
11. Focus on your breathing. Noticing each inhale and exhale. Repeat a pleasent word to yourself on each inhale (for example, a favorite, color or a soothing word such as "safe" or "easy"). Soothing grounding
1.say kind statements as if you were talking to a small child. E g. " You are a good person going through a hard time. You'll get through this" .
2. Think of favorites. Think of your favorite color, animal,season, food, time of day, TV show
3. Picture people you care about (e.g, your children, and look at photographs of them).
Remember a safe place. Describe a place that you find very soothing (perhaps the beach, mountains or a favorite room).
4.Remember the words to an inspiring song, quotation, or poem_that makes you feel better for example the serentiy payer.
5.say a coping statement._ "I can handle this", "This feeling will pass".
5. Plan out a safe treat for yourself, such as a piece of candy, a nice dinner, or a warm bath.
6. Thin of things you are looking forward to in the next week. Perhaps time with a friend or going to a movie .
What if grounding doesn't work.
1.Practice as often as possible. Even when you don't need it.2. practice faster. Speeding up the pace gets you focused on the outside world quickly.
3. Try grounding for a loooooonnnng time(20-30 minutes). And repeat, repeat, repeat.
4. Try to notice whether you do better with "physical" or "mental" grounding.
5. Create your own methods if grounding. Any method you make up may be worth much more than those you read hear because it's yours.
5. Start grounding early in a negative mood cycle. Start when you have just started having a flashback.
Sorry this is so long Colleen but I hope it can help someone else.
Who migt be suffering from PTSD people think it just happens to soldiers but anyone can develop PTSD at anytime after any kind of trauma thanks for asking on grounding and so others know the techniques for grounding do work very well especially if you keep on with practicing them everyday .
Thanks glinfa