Coping Technique: 5-4-3-2-1

This technique can be used by children as well as adults who have awareness of their senses.

Anywhere. The great thing about this technique is that no one really even knows you are doing it and it can be done within minutes.

It is not easy for the brain to let go when anxiety or panic takes hold. Anxiety takes us away from the present moment by either making us remember pain that is tied to our past or anticipating fear or worry about a future that has not yet happened. This then causes the negative thought spiral to begin. One anxious thought leads to another and soon enough, our thoughts feed our anxiety and stress. As we get lost in our negative thoughts or worries, we lose our connection to the present moment and to what is happening right now. So, one technique that helps bring us back to what is happening in the present moment is the 5-4-3-2-1 technique.

This technique is a deactivating strategy that uses mindfulness to calm your nervous system and bring your back into your Window of Tolerance (if you want to know what this means, this is some of the work we do with our clients during therapy sessions).

Basically, this technique works by helping you shift your attention from the thoughts and/ or circumstances that are causing you anxiety or emotional overwhelm by using your senses to focus on what is going on in the present. As such, it helps change your brain’s response to stress by bringing you into the present moment by making your feel more connected to your body and secondly, it makes us curious about the world around us in an open and non-judgmental way.

Click here to learn more about the importance of stress management.