The 5 4 3 2 1 Method: The Solution For Instant Calm!

What is the 5-4-3-2-1 method?

It’s a mindfulness technique that forces us to focus on our environment using our five senses. It was developed by Ellen Hendriksen, a clinical psychologist at the University of Boston’s Anxiety Disorders Centre.

The aim is to detach yourself from all the thoughts stressing you out and come back to the present moment. It’s a bit like pressing the “pause” button on your brain to regain control of your emotions 🧠. And believe me, when you’re on the verge of an anxiety attack, it does a world of good!

👋 You may be interested in this article: What is the 333 method for anxiety?

How do you apply this anti-stress method?

First and foremost, you need to start with a simple breathing exercise. When we’re overwhelmed by anxiety, we have a “survival reaction”, as the psychologist explains. Our heart rate increases and our breathing becomes labored. You therefore need to take a deep breath in, as if you were trying to inflate a balloon in your stomach. Then breathe out very slowly (and you can repeat this several times)!

👉 Next, explore your 5 senses by doing 5-4-3-2-1:

Sight 👀: Open your eyes wide and look for 5 things you can see around you. It could be anything: a pen, a plant, a cat walking by...
Touch✋: Next, focus on 4 things you can touch. You can fiddle with your jumper, stroke a cushion or even tap your foot on the floor.
Hearing👂: Then, listen out to identify 3 things you can hear. The ticking of the clock, street noise, or even your own breathing.
Smell 👃: Take a good sniff to identify 2 things you can smell. The smell of coffee, your neighbor’s perfume, or the fresh air coming in through the window.
Taste 👅: Finally, concentrate on 1 thing you can taste. If you don’t have anything to hand, you can even imagine your favorite dish.

Tested and approved

To tell you the truth, I applied it very recently when I was having a panic attack in a... Burger King 😅.

To put it in context, I’d just finished my meal with a friend, so I went to the toilet before leaving and then to the car. Once inside, I wanted to take out my phone, but I couldn’t find it. You need to realize that I have absolutely MY WHOLE LIFE in it, including 17,000 photos, as well as all my passwords and my bank card... So the anxiety suddenly mounted 😱. I went back into the fast-food restaurant and looked around the toilets, and the table we were at, I even went and rummaged through the bin. I started to get overwhelmed by my anxiety and began crying.

That’s when I decided to sit down and apply the 5-4-3-2-1 method:

I looked at my friend, the patterns on my dress, the crumbs on the table, the children playing, and a lady chewing on her burger. I touched my bag, my favorite ring, my hair, the table, and the leather of the armchair. I listened to my breathing, the sound of the deep fryer, and people laughing. I smelt the chips and onions. Then I thought back to our meal. In a few seconds it helped me to get back to the present and to detach myself from all the anxieties I’d been having 🌪️: my phone’s been stolen, someone’s going to take all my money, I’ve lost all my photos, etc.

Thanks to my new-found calm, I was able to ask several people, including a member of staff. He told me that he had indeed found a telephone on one of the tables and had put it to one side 😮‍💨. Phew, all’s well that ends well, and I was able to regain my discernment thanks to the 5-4-3-2-1 method.

>>> Read; How to better manage our emotions

An effective and practical method

Indeed, I find that this method has many advantages, as we learn to manage our stress alone by going back to the basis of our senses. Thanks to this, we’re less plagued by our negative thoughts and emotions. And that’s not all, the psychologist also highlighted the fact that her patients who applied this method had fewer headaches, less muscle tension, and their emotions were more regulated 😮. In short, it’s easy to avoid all the unpleasant effects caused by stress! Finally, what I find most advantageous is that you can use this method anywhere, anytime, like I did in the middle of a crowded Burger King 😬.

It really is the basis of mindfulness and the good news is that if you can do that, you can explore meditation (and if not, I’ve got some advice for you if you can’t meditate). So give it a try and let us know what you think!

Editor’s note - It doesn’t solve chronic anxiety!

The 5-4-3-2-1 method is a valuable tool for managing stress and anxiety on a daily basis. However, it’s important to bear in mind that if you suffer from chronic anxiety or recurrent panic attacks, it’s essential that you consult a mental health professional. A psychologist or psychiatrist will be able to help you identify the underlying causes of your anxiety and suggest a suitable treatment, such as cognitive behavioral therapy or medication if necessary. Don’t hesitate to ask for help because you deserve to live a serene and fulfilled life, without being constantly plagued by stress and anxiety!

🤗 Understanding yourself, accepting yourself, being happy... It’s here and now!

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