Coping Techniques for Anxiety by Christiana Danielle

Coping Techniques for Anxiety

1. 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Exercise

This technique helps anchor you in the present by engaging your senses:

• 5 things you can see (look around and name objects, colors, shapes).

• 4 things you can touch (the fabric of your clothes, a chair, a textured object).

• 3 things you can hear (music, your breath, distant sounds).

• 2 things you can smell (lotion, fresh air, a candle).

• 1 thing you can taste (gum, tea, or simply notice your mouth’s natural taste).

When anxiety feels overwhelming, this exercise redirects your focus from racing thoughts to

tangible reality.

2. Challenge the Lies with Truth Statements

The song highlights how anxiety starts with «a pair of lies.» A powerful way to combat anxious

thoughts is by identifying and replacing them with truth.

• Lie: «I’m not good enough.»

• Truth: «I have strengths, and I am capable.»

• Lie: «I can’t handle this.»

• Truth: «I have faced challenges before and made it through.»

Write down the anxious thoughts that come up while listening to the song and counter them

with compassionate, realistic truths. Saying these out loud can reinforce them in your mind.

3. Box Breathing (4-4-4-4 Method)

This technique slows your breath and calms your nervous system.

• Inhale deeply through your nose for 4 seconds.

• Hold your breath for 4 seconds.

• Exhale slowly through your mouth for 4 seconds.

• Hold again for 4 seconds.

• Repeat until you feel your body relaxing.

This method is especially helpful when anxiety makes you feel physically stuck or paralyzed.

4. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)

When anxiety makes you feel frozen, physically tensing and relaxing different muscle groups

can help release tension and restore movement.

• Start by clenching your fists for 5 seconds, then release.

• Move to your shoulders—tense them up, then drop them down.

• Tighten your legs, then relax.

• Continue through your body until you feel more present and in control.

5. Visualization: Rewriting the Ending

The song transitions from paralysis to freedom. Imagine yourself making that same shift:Coping Techniques for Anxiety by Christiana Danielle

• Close your eyes and picture yourself breaking free from the lies anxiety tells you

(like stepping out of a fog or cutting strings holding you back).

• Visualize yourself moving, breathing deeply, and embracing your strength—what

does freedom from anxiety feel like for you?

• Repeat a positive affirmation like: «I am not my fear. I am strong. I can move forward.»

6. Anchoring to the Present with an Object

Find a small object—like a stone, a piece of jewelry, or a soft fabric—that you can hold when

anxiety arises.

• Focus on its texture, weight, and temperature.

• Rub it between your fingers, grounding yourself in what is real and tangible, not just

what’s in your mind.

• Let it be a symbol of stability, reminding you that you’re still here, still safe, and still in

control.

7. Movement to Release the Stuck Energy

If anxiety feels like it’s freezing you in place, try small movements to regain control:

• Stretch your arms and legs—wiggle your fingers and toes.

• Take a short walk or sway gently to music.

• If possible, shake out your limbs to release built-up energy.

Sometimes, simply moving your body in any way can help shift the mental state from paralysis

to action.