Definition
The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique is a sensory awareness exercise designed to help manage anxiety by reconnecting you with the present moment. It works by systematically engaging your five senses to shift attention away from anxious thoughts and back to your immediate environment.
Here’s how it works:
- 5 things you can SEE: Look around and name five things you can visually observe in your environment
- 4 things you can TOUCH/FEEL: Notice four things you can physically feel (your clothes, the temperature, texture of objects, etc.)
- 3 things you can HEAR: Listen for and identify three distinct sounds in your surroundings
- 2 things you can SMELL: Identify two scents you can detect (or recall two favorite scents if none are present)
- 1 thing you can TASTE: Notice one taste in your mouth, or take a small sip/bite of something