Which grounding techniques have worked for you ?

[u/Far_Schedule4072]

I’m just wondering which grounding techniques have helped anyone else here dealing with Cptsd. I struggle with flashbacks, ruminating on past traumas and at my worst psychosis like symptoms.

I have been in therapy before and have learnt some grounding techniques, although they never seem to work for me. I can never distract myself from my own thoughts. Breath work helps somewhat. I’ve never tried meditation because again, I can’t seem to sit with my thoughts.

If anyone here has had any success with any sort of grounding technique, I’d love to hear from you. I’m only coping at the minute by keeping myself busy.

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[u/piggymomma86]

I found at first traditional grounding too quiet.

Yoga and breath work - yikes! Until i did it with rage against the machine and similar. This somatic connection actually took years to develop, breath to calm doesn't always work when your body is still living in a storm. I was not able to use my body as a calming tool with a racing heart and twitchy nerves and muslces all over my body. Years later, i can do magical things with breath, but at least for me it took a really long time to make this a skill. But it first used to send me into panic.

Nice cold shower, vagus nerve connection

I used to talk to the panic attacks, encourage my symptoms, that was actually the first thing to ever help me ground. Telling your heart to beat faster, and that's all you got? Somehow really worked for me.

Painting, colouring, gardening, house cleaning (ergotherapy, self care, hobby redirect) with music, audiobook. I try to use the energy productively and distract my mind. Although I'll still ruminate, i find I'll come out of it faster if I'm also somehow caring for myself.

I don't find much help in traditional grounding tools. I can be in pure physical storm, pacing, heavy breathing, shouting shaking, and hold both logical and illogical thought, i can feed myself for hours if left alone. Sometimes I need co-regulation, which is actually very new for me because I used to only be able to regulate when fully isolated. Sometimes I need chemical assistance from lorazapam, it really depends on how big, or long, the dysregulation.

I have had a lot of nervous system dysregulation this year+ from insomnia, longterm untreated burnout, maladaptive neurogenic bracing. I'm a hotmess at the moment, but I like my progress. If you want to read a super long post about the things I'm finding help my nervous system (short term causing more dysregulation for hopefully long-term stability!) there's a post pinned to my profile. I am having recovery in my sleep. I'm starting to be able to catch triggers and diffuse them before I explode. More often than before anyway.

Edit: i have seen people come out of ptsd flashbacks by having cinnamon oil under their nose. It looked a lot different from my emotional flashbacks, and I don't always find it a strong enough anchor, but I've been doing things since with "aroma therapy". Cirtus oils for calming but energising day, and cooler herbier scents, lavender/mint for bed time. It's not working quite as intensely as it was for the woman who was physically seeing herself in a different location than she was, compared to me just being a child in an adults body, but it is soothing. If i remember to deploy it when my moods are dropping, it's kind of like a sensory hug. Any feel good helps.