When Anxiety Feels Like Disconnection and How to Ground Through Your Senses
Have you ever noticed how anxiety can make you feel like you’re not quite connected in the present? Maybe your thoughts are racing, your heart is pounding, you can't tell if you should leave or stay. Many people describe anxiety as a sense of disconnection—from their bodies, their surroundings, and even themselves.
Let’s unpack this a little. Anxiety has a way of pulling us into our heads. Our thoughts speed up, becoming hyper vigilant, and often spinning stories about “what if” or worst-case scenarios. Meanwhile, your body is having its own reaction, shifting into “fight, flight, or freeze” mode. This is your nervous system’s way of trying to keep you safe, but it can leave you feeling anywhere but in the present moment.
The good news is, there are ways to gently guide yourself back to the here and now. One of the most effective tools for this is grounding through your senses.
Photo by Oliver Pacas via Unsplash
What Is Grounding?
Grounding is simply a way to help yourself feel more steady and connected when anxiety makes you feel out of place or untethered. Think of it like pressing a reset button for your mind and body. When you’re grounded, you feel more present—like your feet are firmly planted on the ground instead of floating away on a cloud of worry.
One of the easiest ways to ground yourself is by using your senses. Your sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell can anchor you to the present moment, bringing you out of your thoughts and into what’s happening right now. For example, noticing the texture of your sweater, the smell of your coffee, or the sound of birds outside can remind you that you’re here, and you’re safe.
Grounding doesn’t have to be complicated, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. It’s about finding what helps you feel calm and connected. It’s okay to experiment and see what works best for you. If one method doesn’t feel right, try another—your body knows what it needs, and it’s okay to trust that.
Grounding Is Personal
Grounding can feel different for everyone. What helps one person feel steady might not work for someone else, and that’s okay. Some people might find deep breathing incredibly calming, while others might feel more anxious when focusing on their breath. A grounding object might be soothing for one person but feel irritating to another. The key is to listen to your own body and notice what truly helps you feel more connected and present.
It’s important to give yourself permission to skip or adapt any technique that doesn’t feel right for you, even if others say it’s helpful. Trust your inner wisdom—you know yourself better than anyone else. Grounding is about finding what works for you.
Simple Grounding Techniques to Try
Here are a few gentle, trauma-informed ways to ground yourself when anxiety feels overwhelming:
1. Grounding in place
If you are in a seated position, take a moment to feel the bottoms of your feet on the floor, and your back against the support behind you. As you notice your feet on the floor, you might play with slowly rocking from the balls of your feet to your heels, and back, a few times. Then, let your feet settle in place. Allow the awareness of your feet to travel up your legs, hips, and spine.
From here, open your awareness to the sounds in the room that you are in, and then beyond this room. Notice how far away you can hear sound. Notice what your eyes are drawn to in the space, how the light appears to your eyes. If you feel more comfortable with your eyes closed, you can skip this step. Keep coming back to the feeling of your feet on the floor as often as you need to.
2. Breathing with Your Hands
Place your hands on your lap, palms facing up. You can sit in any comfortable position for this practice. Allow your eyes to open or close, to your comfort level. Become aware of the pattern of your breathing, finding a comfortable (for you) rhythm of inhaling and exhaling. This might look different day to day, and that's okay! Then, start to gently open and close your hands in sync with your breath- opening your fingers as you inhale, allowing them to fold inward towards your palms as you exhale. You can take as many rounds of breath here as you need.
3. Grounding Through Texture
Keep a grounding object with you, like a smooth stone, a piece of fabric, or a stress ball. When you feel anxious, hold it in your hand and focus on its texture, weight, and temperature. It can be helpful if the object has a story to it- perhaps it accompanied you to a special place, or was a gift from someone who loves you, but it could be any object that feels comforting when you hold it. This physical connection can help bring you back to present moment awareness.
4. Temperature Shifts
Splash cool water on your face, hold an ice cube, or wrap your hands around a warm mug of tea. These temperature changes can help shift your nervous system out of the cycle it's in and into the present.
5. Nature
If possible, step outside. Feel the earth beneath your feet, the sun on your skin, or the breeze on your face. Even a few moments of connecting with nature can be grounding and soothing. If you can't step outside, you might watch a video of a natural landscape like a flowing stream, hang out with your houseplants, or gaze at the sky for a few moments.
Be Gentle with Yourself
If you’ve experienced trauma, some grounding techniques might feel overwhelming at first. That’s okay. Start with the ones that feel most accessible to you and give yourself permission to go slow. The goal is not to force yourself to feel better but to gently guide yourself back to a sense of connection and safety. This is also a great reason to work one on one with a therapist trained in working with trauma, who can hold space and help individualize the approach for you.
Why It’s Worth Practicing
Grounding doesn't necessarily solve the root cause of anxiety, but over time, it can help you feel more connected to your body, your life, and the world around you, and it can be a helpful too for managing anxiety or stress in the moment.
If you’d like more support with anxiety or want to explore these tools in a deeper, more personalized way, I’d love to support you. Reach out to schedule a session or learn more about how we can work together.
You are worthy of this connection. You are worthy of this healing. And you are so deeply worthy of peace.
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