If you struggle with anxiety, or any other stress-related disorder, you're probably familiar with dissociation. Dissociation is a state of being that your mind uses to cope when it's under too much stress. When you dissociate, you disconnect from the world around you in some way. Things may seem a little foggy, or you may have trouble remembering things. Most people feel removed from their current situation in some way. However, there are some things to try to keep you in the present moment.  

1.) Count The Colors

If you feel yourself beginning to dissociate, try to count the number of colors in the room. The goal here isn't to be completely accurate. You just want to count colors until it brings your mind out of the dissociative episode. You may find it difficult to count, but that's okay. The more you count, the more your mind begins to reengage.

2.) Eat A Sour Candy

For some people using visual stimuli isn't enough to get them out of a dissociative episode. If you can tolerate it, eating an extremely sour candy can help bridge that gap. It stimulates your sense of taste and helps to take your mind off what caused you to dissociate in the first place.  

3.) Use A Grounding Object

This technique works similarly to the one where you count the colors in a given room. When you choose a grounding object you choose one object to focus on in a room. Then you describe that object in exhaustive detail to yourself. Describe things you wouldn't necessarily notice, like the beveled edge of a glass, or the frayed hem of a curtain.

Some people like to use modeling clay for a grounding object because it can stimulate you on multiple levels. With modeling clay, you can touch it and smell it as you describe it. Sometimes this stimulation of multiple senses is required to help people get their minds back to the present.

4.) Think Grounding Statements

Sometimes when you dissociate the only thing you can focus on is what you're experiencing in that moment. The mental stimuli can become overwhelming. This is because you're reacting to a trauma or stimuli and it can cause your thoughts to shut down. However, you may be able to focus on what you're physically experiencing. For example; if it's raining out, describe how it feels when a raindrop hits you.

Everyone reacts differently when they dissociate, so you may require a custom plan for when you experience symptoms. Dissociation can be a hard symptom to tackle on your own and it's ok to need help. If you find you need help, you may want to consider counseling for your dissociation symptoms. A counselor, likeBarbara Saban, LCSW, will help you develop a treatment plan specific to your needs and help you banish those symptoms for good.