There are a number of things that you can do to help you get through tough times. These things are often referred to as 'grounding' and are summarised below. They also align well with the Five Ways to Wellbeing: Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning, and Give. We are all unique individuals so ultimately, choose whatever works best for you.

Spend Time in Nature

Taking time-out to appreciate the natural world around us can be very therapeutic. Appreciating the trees & forests, plants & animals, hills & mountains, rivers & seas, and sun & rain, can help to calm our thoughts and feelings and reconnect us to our living environment.

Spend Time with Friends or Family

If you can talk to your friends or family about your experiences then that's great! But if not, just spending social time with them and doing things that you all enjoy is important. This can help reassure and de-stress you as well as providing you with opportunities to have a laugh and have fun.

Stay in the Present Moment

Many people find it helpful to decrease or temporarily stop their spiritual practices when they start to feel ungrounded. However, some practices, such as mindfulness, may help you to stay focused on the present moment rather than getting lost in your fears and anxieties.

Sleep Well

Cultivate good sleep hygiene by going to bed at the same time each night, relaxing before going to sleep, not working late, avoiding stimulants, not eating too late, and removing distractions from the bedroom - like mobile phones, laptops, and televisions. A comfortable mattress, herbal teas, and a supper such as toast, a banana, or hot milky drink can sometimes help us drift off.

Eat Well

A nutritious balanced diet is always essential to our physical health but also our mental health. Our gut can be thought of as a second brain that responds to what we put into it. Fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meats, wholemeal bread, rice & pasta, nuts and seeds, are genrally healthy options. Avoid or reduce your intake of processed foods, biscuits, chocolate, sweets, cakes, crisps, and fast-food. Some people find going gluten, dairy or meat free helpful. Again, find what works best for you and stick to it.

Take Exercise

Physical excercise can have positive benefits for our mental health as well as our phyiscal health. Even gentle or moderate exercise can be of benefit, such as taking a walk or doing yoga. Gardening can be particularly helpful as you can get some exercise and spend time in nature!

Talk About It

Be discerning about who you talk to about your experiences as some people will not understand them. However, there are people who will understand what you are going through. You can seek out individual one-to-one therapists, find a local peer-support group, or talk to friends or family who are open to your experiences and beliefs.

Avoid Stimulants

Stimluants include coffee, alcohol, energy drinks, nicotine, and other recreational drugs. These can make us overly sensitive, energetic, and reduce sleep quality. Instead try drinking fruit juices, herbal teas, or just good old fashioned water.

Turn Off Your Tech

Some people may be sensitive to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) given off by mobile phones and Wi-Fi devices. Even if you aren't sensitive in this way technology often seems to make more demands on us adding to our already busy lives. Technology can be a very useful tool but give yourself some EMR space and turn off your tech for a while.

Be Creative

Creating artwork, whether it be painting, sculpture, crafts, music, dance, digital design, or writing, can also be a very therapeutic and enjoyable way to express yourself. You don't have to produce perfect works of art worthy of an art gallery or even to share your artwork with anyone at all if you don't want to. It is the process that helps.

Medical Help

It is wise to consult your GP as some experiences can be caused by physical illness and it is reassuring to rule these out. Also, some people find medication helps them to get through the worst parts of the process. Others find that it doesn't help or even makes things worse. Talk to your GP about your options and don't stop taking or reduce your medication without their support. Some healthcare staff are more open to spiritual perspectives than others so share with discernment.

Seek to Understand

Having a model, framework, or belief system within which you can undertsand the process that you are going through can be very helpful. This model could be religious or secular, spiritual or psychological. Some people find the biomedical model helpful, others do not. Talking to others, watching videos, and reading books and websites can all provide different perspectives on the process. Then choose what feels most comfortable to you.