Self-help and support
Best Grounding Techniques for Panic and Flashbacks
Ten simple ways to bring your attention back to the here and now during a panic attack or flashback, with steps you can follow in the moment.
Grounding means deliberately pulling your attention into the present: what you can see, hear and touch right now, where you are, and what day it is. During a flashback, the past can feel as if it is happening again. During a panic attack, your body can feel out of control. Grounding does not make either go away instantly, but it gives your mind something steady to hold on to while the wave passes.
These techniques come from NHS self-help guidance for post-traumatic stress and from SAMHSA's guide to trauma-informed care. Try a few when you are calm, so they are familiar when you need them. Different ones work for different people.
Grounding helps in the moment. It is not treatment for PTSD or panic disorder. If flashbacks or panic attacks happen often, that is worth talking through with a doctor or a trauma-focused therapist.
1. The 5-4-3-2-1 senses scan
Work through your senses one at a time, looking for small details.
- Name 5 things you can see.
- Name 4 things you can feel, such as your clothes or the chair.
- Name 3 things you can hear, near and far.
- Name 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste.
This exact sequence is widely taught, but we found no trial of it. The underlying idea, using each sense on purpose to notice your surroundings, is what NHS and SAMHSA guidance describe.
2. Tell yourself where and when you are
A coping statement that reminds your mind the danger is in the past.
- Say it out loud or in your head: "That was then, this is now."
- Add the facts: your name, where you are, today's date.
- Finish with: "I am safe right now."
- Look for proof around you, such as a calendar, your phone's date or what is on the wall.
3. Feet on the floor
Physical contact with the ground and the furniture around you.
- Plant both feet flat and press them into the floor.
- Wiggle your toes.
- Notice the chair or the wall holding your weight.
4. Slow belly breathing
The NHS breathing exercise for stress. The aim is slower breathing, not bigger breaths.
- Put a hand on your belly and let your breath go as deep as is comfortable, without forcing it.
- Breathe in through your nose, counting 1 to 5.
- Breathe out through your mouth, counting 1 to 5.
- Keep going for at least 5 minutes. You may not reach 5 at first, and that is fine.
5. Box breathing
An even, counted rhythm that gives your mind something to follow.
- Breathe in through your nose for a count of 4.
- Hold for a count of 4.
- Breathe out gently for a count of 4.
- If holding feels uncomfortable, simply breathe "in, two, three" and "out, two, three".
Some people find a longer out-breath calming. That is a common variation, but there are no official counts for it.
6. Carry a grounding object
A small thing you can hold that belongs to the present.
- Choose something like a smooth stone or a keyring.
- It should have no connection at all to the trauma.
- Keep it in your pocket or bag, and hold it, noticing its weight and texture, when you start to drift.
7. Strong taste, smell or temperature
A strong sensation can cut through a flashback quickly.
- Taste something strong, such as a mint, lemon or chili.
- Sniff a strong scent you like.
- Hold something cool, such as a cold drink, and notice the coolness and texture.
8. Give your mind a counting task
A neutral job for an overloaded mind.
- Name every red object in the room.
- Count backward from 100 by 7s.
- Go through what you need to do today, one item at a time.
9. The three-objects study
Slow, deliberate attention to ordinary things.
- Pick three objects near you.
- Study each one slowly and on purpose for a few minutes.
- Notice its color, shape, edges and texture.
10. Turn down the dial or picture a safe place
Two imagery techniques. Some people prefer them to physical ones.
- Imagine a dial for your emotions and slowly turn the volume down.
- Or picture a calm, safe place in detail: what you would see, hear and feel there.
- If imagery pulls you back toward the memory, switch to a physical technique instead.
Breathing safely: avoid overbreathing
Breathing exercises should slow your breath down. Breathing fast or forcing deep breaths lowers the carbon dioxide in your blood. That can cause dizziness, tingling in your hands or around your mouth, chest tightness and muscle spasms, which can make panic feel worse. Breathe gently and never force it.
When to get medical help
- Call 911 for chest pain, trouble breathing or fainting, or if this is the first time you have had episodes of rapid breathing. Panic symptoms can feel like a heart attack, so a medical cause should be ruled out.
- Once a doctor has ruled out other causes, it can help to know that the NHS describes panic attacks as frightening but not life-threatening.
- If you are having thoughts of suicide or are in crisis, call or text 988. Veterans can press 1 after dialing 988, or text 838255.
- The VA's free PTSD Coach app has tools for managing distress in the moment and links to crisis support.
If flashbacks keep coming back
Grounding gets you through the moment. Trauma-focused therapy works on why the moments keep happening. If flashbacks or panic are shaping your days, you can read how Jim approaches PTSD treatment.
Questions people ask
What is the fastest grounding technique during a flashback?
Can breathing exercises make panic worse?
Is grounding a treatment for PTSD?
Sources
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Written and clinically reviewed by Jim Denning, MA, LPC. Last reviewed 23 September 2026.
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