Over the years, I have learned many different techniques to help manage my stress. Some of them have proven to be extremely useful (I have previously written about the power of meditation and consistent exercise), while others have not always done the trick (I once tried to plan a year for my stress – that was a long day!). Since I am stable believer that I have to try more than once, when it comes to management of my stress, I try to make sure I give things a chance. While the first times may be a little abnormal, stuck with some of these techniques have proven valuable in my mental health journey. And that is why I would like to share more about the rule of “3-3-3”, how it helped me to deal with stress and how it can be a useful tool for you.
What is the rule 3-3-3?
THE 3-3-3 rule It is a popular grounding technique when one experiences anxiety symptoms. While some anxiety symptoms are mental or emotional, the symptoms can also be natural. It is often these natural symptoms that can be very overwhelming when dealing with anxiety or panic attack. When one feels anxious, they can turn to the rule 3-3-3 to consolidate yourself and try to stop the spiral of restless thoughts and emotions that can happen. The language of the details is not always the same, but generally, it goes:
- Notice three things you see around you
- Identify three sounds you hear
- Move three parts of your body
That’s it! What I like about this rule is that it includes the use of your senses by activating different parts of your body and encouraging them to slow down and account for the situation. There is also no wrong way to do this. If three things you see around you is a floor, a ceiling and a door, that’s okay. The act of identifying and named these things can slow people down, get them out of the moment they are. These actions are not meant to be complicated or solve your problems – they are simply intended to help slow down a spiral anxiety or at a time when you may not feel all this.
How did the rule 3-3-3 help me
While I would say that this rule is relatively simple, it is not always easy to put in action. You may not always know what happens when you are experiencing anxiety/panic attack. Thoughts can be difficult to put in the correct order. Confusion could get in. You may not feel comfortable in your body and everyday movements may look foreign. And to be honest, it may not be time for someone to tell you to use the rule 3-3-3. Anxiety attacks tend to make the simplest things look like the most difficult, which is part of what makes the whole situation so frustrating.
I will be honest-when I tried to make the rule 3-3-3, I often fail in the fact that I don’t take all three steps. But it helped me manage my stress in a great way and in reality, it changed the way I approach stress attacks. The point of this rule is not only to use your senses to “get out” from the current moment. He recognizes that you may not be fully present and tries to bring you back to today’s moment. Maybe you call a beam of objects that are around you. You may close your eyes and detect what you can hear or smell. Maybe you just click your hands on your feet to remind yourself that you are human. Over time, you can find out how stress attacks affect your body and use this technique to deal with these specific symptoms.
How to use the rule 3-3-3
Like most mental health techniques I have written on this blog, there is no wrong way to integrate the rule 3-3-3. The main goal of a grounding technique is to involve your senses, return to the present time, be in your body and relieve overwhelming stress. However, you do this (as long as you do this safely, it must be said!) It is up to you. After all, the rule 3-3-3 had a huge impact on the way I see my anxiety and I will encourage anyone to explore it if they are struggling with symptoms of anxiety.
Now I want to hear you! Have you ever used the rule 3-3-3 to consolidate yourself? Are there any other grounding techniques that you have used that you have found effective? Let me know in the comments!
