By Leighana Martindale

The last couple of years have been ALOT. Things are hard and right now many of us are dealing with way more pressure than we are used to and with that can come with additional anxiety on top of all of our normal, everyday anxiety. If you’re looking for some strategies outside of pharmaceutical prescriptions, keep reading for a couple of the drug-free techniques that we’ve found helpful.

SIMPLE GROUNDING TECHNIQUE

Grounding is a practice that can help you intentionally distract yourself from distressing thoughts, flashbacks, memories, or fears. Use grounding techniques to help create space from negativity and harmfulness and to refocus on the present moment.

Look around you and name:

5 things that you can see

4 things you can feel

3 things you can hear

2 things you can smell

1 thing you can taste

BREATHING TECHNIQUES

Breathing exercises can be done at any point through the day, whenever needed to help calm and sooth.

BREATH FOCUS TECHNIQUE

1. Take a deep breath through your nose
2. Feel and notice your chest expanding
3. Breath out through your mouth and purse your lips while exhaling

4. Extend your exhale
5. Repeat several time

1:1 TECHNIQUE

1. Take a deep breath through your nose
2. Inhale more through your mouth - puffing your chest out, hold 3. Hold for a few more seconds
4. Loudly exhale through your mouth
5. Repeat this for a few minutes.