New Year

If you are suffering from anxiety, depression or trauma, we urge you to find the strength to reach out. At Oxfordshire Talking Therapies we welcome referrals from all backgrounds at any time of year. Make a self-referral – https://oxfordshire.limbic.ai/.

New Year’s Eve can also be tricky with the loud noises from fireworks triggering unwanted memories. If this is the case for you, try these grounding techniques to help stay present:

Notice your surroundings using the 5-4-3-2-1 technique

What are 5 things you can see (focus on the details)?

What are 4 things you can feel or touch (notice the sensations)?

What are 3 things you can hear (pay attention to the sounds)?

What are 2 things you can smell (and smell them!)?

What is 1 thing you can taste (try eating something such as strong mints or gum) and focus on the how it tastes)?

Notice differences between ‘then’ and now’

Try noticing the similarities and differences between the memory that’s been triggered and what’s happening in the present moment. This can help break the connection between past trauma and day to day reminders.

Try asking yourself the following questions

What was I doing then?          What am I doing now?

What could I see then?           What can I see now?

What was I wearing then?     What am I wearing now?

Who was I with then?              Who am I with now?

What could I hear then?         What can I hear now?

What could I smell then?      What can I smell now?

Try this short breathing exercise

Headspace | Mini meditation | Breathe – YouTube