I’ve been having a hard time keeping my thoughts and emotional reactions separate from my physical responses. I’ve also been having a harder time regulating and suppressing emotions (couldn’t think of a better way to put it). It’s been getting harder for me to block out everything and focus on my filter and do other tasks (I’m high functioning autistic so that doesn’t help.) any advice on grounding techniques?
Hey @user2196. Thank you for sharing this so openly. I hear how tough this has been for you, especially when your thoughts, emotions, and physical responses all feel tangled together. And I want to acknowledge the effort it takes to keep showing up and even reaching out here. That already shows resilience and care for yourself, as you’re looking for ways to cope.
Grounding doesn’t have to be big or complicated, sometimes the smallest things can help your body remember you’re safe right now. For example, you could try pausing to notice your breath, running your hand across a textured object, or even describing your surroundings in detail. Little anchors like these can gently create space between what you’re feeling inside and what’s happening around you.
Some of the grounding techniques that I have found helpful are:
- Breathing: box breathing where you inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, exhale for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts again. Or the 4-7-8 breathing where you breath in for 4 seconds, hold 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds.
- 5-4-3-2-1 method: naming 5 things you see, 4 things you feel/touch, 3 things you hear, 2 things you smell, 1 thing you taste.
- Music: put on a song that feels safe, calming, or uplifting. You can focus on the lyrics, notice the instruments, or even hum/sing along. For some, upbeat music helps shift energy, while for others, gentle rhythms help regulate breathing and slow things down.
- Temperature Shift: holding an ice cube, a warm mug, splashing your face or running hands under cold/warm water.
- Fidget Tools: stress ball, spinners or textured fabrics
- Aromatherapy: strong but pleasant scents (peppermint, citrus, lavender) to redirect focus.
- Movement: quick body resets when energy feels stuck.
- Safe Affirmations: repeat grounding phrases like “I am here. I am safe. I can handle this moment.”
And if it helps, you could even put together a little “grounding kit” like a fidget, a scented lotion, or something soft so you’ve got a few options ready when things feel overwhelming.
The goal isn’t to suppress emotions, but to give yourself safe anchors so they don’t carry you away all at once. And it’s okay if not every technique works right away. It’s more about experimenting and finding what fits your rhythm.
You already seem very attuned to how your mind and body work together so that’s a valuable starting point.
Wishing you gentleness with yourself as you try these out. You deserve calm and ease, okay? 
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Dear @user2196
Thank you for reaching out here, that’s a great first step you have taken. Your sharing suggests you have a lot of self awareness and determination to face what you are experiencing in a better manner.
Do try out the suggestions shared by
@ScribblingSunflower. These are good techniques and I believe many among us do benefit from practising them.
May I also recommend a gentle practice you can consider implementing on a daily basis which I have observed helps our mind and body stay grounded.
For example, start your morning with a two minute breathing exercise, such as box breathing or making your exhale longer than your inhale. This sets a calmer baseline for the day.
Before beginning a task, take a moment to notice your environment with the 5–4–3–2–1 exercise, or simply place both feet firmly on the ground and press your hands together to give your body a clear anchor.
In the middle of the day, take a five-minute break to do a body scan, moving attention from your toes up to your head, contracting each muscle area followed by relaxing these muscles.
Record any automatic negative or racing thoughts coming up. Label them neutrally such as “I notice worry about X” and set them aside on paper. This offloading may reduce the grip of these thoughts on the mind.
In the evening, close the day with a short reflection ritual: repeat a calming phrase like “I’m safe, this will pass” while doing gentle stimming movements or rocking. If possible, dim lights and reduce sensory input to signal your body it’s time to wind down.
I believe doing this routine consistently, even when not overwhelmed, helps make grounding more automatic when emotions and physical responses intensify.
I hope these are useful and please continue reaching out here whenever needed. 
Hey @user2196
First of all, thank you for reaching out and sharing your experience. It sounds like you’re juggling a lot emotionally and physically. How you’ve described it shows how closely you’re paying attention to yourself, which is such an important step in figuring out what might help.
Using techniques that @ScribblingSunflower and @CaringBee suggested is much help to many people. Additionally, I would like to suggest fostering a daily ritual into your routine. This would set at least one predictable event in your day, creating an anchor that you can count on to never change. This can be as simple as drinking your tea/coffee the same way every morning, checking in with yourself at the same time each day, or even sitting in a favourite spot for a few quiet minutes.
When overwhelmed, it may also help to bring in your senses in a gentler, more consistent way. For example, keeping a familiar scent or object nearby that can remind your body that it’s safe without you needing to think too much about it.
I hope this was of help. Feel free to reach out again if you would like. 
Hey @user2196 thank you for sharing 
When it comes to grounding techniques, the main idea behind them is to activate your parasympathetic nervous system and signal to your body that it is ok to shift from ‘fight or flight’ mode to ‘rest and digest’ mode. Some temporary “signallers” can include:
- eating sour candy (shifts your thoughts from feelings of overwhelm → focusing on sour sensory taste)
- drinking ice cold water/chewing ice cubes (same as above but focuses on the cold sensation and sudden temperature shift)
- vocal stimulation such as humming/singing
- meditation/yoga (you can find some videos on youtube/listen to podcasts - personally this does wonders for me and I have been able to appreciate these moments of stillness and deep breathing!)
I really hope you are able to try some of these out, let me know if they work for you! Take care 
Hi @user2196, its really great that you’ve taken the initiative to try and regulate your emotions even when its tough, and I’m thankful that you’ve shared this with us. @ScribblingSunflower and @CaringBee shared some methods that work really well. Personally, I feel that box breathing and listening to my favorite music helps a lot to ground me and quieten my mind when it gets overwhelming, you might want to give it a try too Wishing you all the best, and if you need anything else, always feel free to reach out!
Hello @user2196 thank you for sharing this. What you’re describing sounds incredibly tough, and it makes complete sense that you’re feeling overwhelmed. It’s not easy to carry so much internal intensity, especially when it impacts how your body responds and how well you can focus. You’re not alone in this, and you’re not doing anything wrong. Navigating emotional regulation, especially as someone who’s high-functioning autistic, can be especially challenging.
That said, it’s really insightful that you’ve noticed this pattern recognizing it is a powerful first step. For grounding, here are a few techniques that might help.
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5-4-3-2-1 Grounding – A classic sensory grounding technique. Name 5 things you see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you hear, 2 you can smell, and 1 you can taste or are grateful for. It can gently pull attention away from overwhelming emotions.
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Temperature resets – Using cold water (like a splash on the face or holding an ice cube) can help regulate intense emotional surges by shifting your nervous system.
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“Name it to tame it”** – Sometimes simply putting words to what you’re feeling (“I feel overwhelmed and overstimulated”) can reduce its intensity. You don’t have to fix it, just naming it helps.
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Weighted pressure or deep pressure stimulation – This can be especially regulating for autistic individuals. A weighted blanket or firm self-hug might bring some bodily relief.
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Box breathing – Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. It gives your nervous system a predictable rhythm and can be calming when your thoughts feel chaotic.
You’re clearly self-aware and trying hard to manage something that’s deeply complex. That deserves recognition. Just know you’re not failing. You’re responding to a tough internal environment the best way you can. You deserve space and compassion for that.