Able Futures - support your mental health & reduce your feelings of anxiety with the 5-4-3-2-1 technique
5) See 👁️
Acknowledge five things that you can see around you. Options can range from a
pen or stapler at your office to a bird or tree while you’re out at the local park. If
you’re at home, you can look at a family photo on the wall or a glass of water on
the kitchen counter. You can pick between big and small items to keep your
options open.
4) Touch 🖐️
Acknowledge four things that you can touch around you. You can start with your
hair, hands, elbows, and other parts of your body if you’re short on time. The
ground beneath your feet, whether it’s the floor of your bedroom or the office at
work, also helps. Pillows, desks, phones, and keyboards can fit this step
3) Hear 👂
Acknowledge three things you can hear around you. Instead of listening to your
own thoughts or sounds from your body like your stomach growling, focus on
external noises. Examples include someone driving a car nearby, a clock ticking,
or a dog barking. If you’re at work, you can listen to typing and the steps of
people walking by your desk.
2) Smell 👃
Acknowledge two things around you that you can smell. This step may be a
challenge compared to the others, so it’s best to go to a place with more sources
of scent if you don’t smell anything wherever you are at the moment. The
outdoors has plenty of options for smells, and the soap in bathrooms also helps.
Your furniture can provide pleasant smells for this step when you’re home.
1) Taste 🍵
Acknowledge one thing around you that you can taste. It doesn’t necessarily
have to be food, as toothpaste and minty floss you use in the morning or at night
are easy sources. You can also go with the cinnamon-raisin oatmeal you have for
breakfast, the sandwich and chips you have for lunch, or the pasta primavera
you have for dinner. Coffee, tea, and other drinks you have to get through the day
also work.
