Last Updated on December 7, 2024 by Olivia K.
In my previous articles I have already written about the definition of a grounding technique and its types – physical and mental. This article will help you understand how the soothing grounding techniques work. While the main goal of soothing grounding techniques is the same as physical and mental ones, soothing techniques differ from them by focusing on comforting and promoting good feelings.
Table of Contents
What is a Soothing Grounding Technique?
A soothing grounding technique is the one that not only will distract you from negative thoughts but also will make you feel better. Another word that is often used for it is comforting. Comforting is a way to make you feel less sad, worried or unhappy. It can also carry a meaning of fulfilling, satisfying, loving, welcoming. It can carry not only emotional meaning but physical – for example a hot cup of tea can be comforting on a cold day.
Important to know: When someone says comforting, a lot of people including me may think of comfort foods. People do use food as a way to comfort themselves in a stressful situation but I do not recommend it in my articles as after this type of comforting we will have to face with a disappointment such as weight gain or upset stomach. If you are currently using food for comforting, I recommend to try and replace it with some other soothing techniques.
How does soothing grounding work?
In psychology, “comforting” refers to a state of mental well-being characterized by calmness, a sense of safety, and the absence of anxiety. What gives us these feelings can be both physical and mental and correspond with physical and mental grounding techniques. The difference would be in what particularly is soothing for you. Soothing grounding techniques are often your choice on what makes you feel good. But please remember that using food as a soothing technique is not a good idea.
Soothing grounding technique ideas
Like I have previously mentioned, soothing or comforting can differ a lot from person to person. So this time I want to provide more like ideas instead of examples that you can use for grounding.
Spend time with your pet
Watch a movie
Say kind things to yourself
Think of your favorite things
Plan your favorite activity
Do your favorite activity
Think of people who make you happy
Talk/see someone that makes you happy
Use or buy something comforting (ex. blanket or hoodie)
Drink herbal tea
Make a list of positive things
Make a list of your strengths
Listen to your favorite music
Take a bubble bath
Walk in your favorite park
Soothing grounding techniques might require more time and location but you do not have to wrap yourself in a blanket in front of TV right away. Just thinking about it will help you to feel better. Make sure that you do it when you get home though.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can replace food comforting?
Food can be a little bit tricky as it is indeed one of the strongest comforting ways. Think about it this way. Let’s say you are stressed. You go buy a cake or pizza and eating it makes you feel very good. Let’s get back to the reason of your stress. Can a way to eliminate that stress be a way to comfort you? For example. One person is very stressed because he does not have enough money to pay rent. Could that person focus on saving money as a way to comfort them? If you know that you have let’s say $2000 in your bank account to pay rent next month. Or, $4000 for 2 months ahead or $6000 for 3 months ahead. Will it make you feel better and less stressed? It will. The difference is only in that food is considered to be an immediate gratification, where you buy pizza for $20 and eat it right away (feel better right away) but to save money it takes time and delayed gratification, where you have to resist the urge for an immediate reward (comfort in our case), in favor of a larger one later on. Another example with money can be the following. You know that comforting food makes you gain weight. It is so upsetting and disappointing. How about instead of buying pizza you buy super cute fuzzy socks and rent a movie on Amazon? Money is gone but you are in comfort and did not contribute to weight gain tonight. Let me know what you think on my Contact Us page and share your own ideas.
References:
Sleegers, Willem W. A., and Travis Proulx. “The Comfort of Approach: Self-Soothing Effects of Behavioral Approach in Response to Meaning Violations.” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 5, 9 Jan. 2015, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01568.