whatup, it's the designated tired wine mom of the system (ace) here writing about grounding skills in case it helps everyone. and i'm not just gonna tell you "take a deep breath." this is the real shit that works for our system. note this is from the perspective of an OSDD system, but anyone can use these tricks since dissociation's widespread across trauma and MH disorders.
also we've got like, 70% of a psych degree so i may know what im talkin about
what i'm doing right now: use your fine motor skills. i am quite literally typing this to ground us. learned this one from our therapist. engaging your peripheral motor neurons forces the CNS (central nervous system) to actually engage with the body and like. put you in it.
further on that, ENGAGE YOUR SENSORY SYSTEMS. i'm a massive fan of scented candles for this. just make sure you aren't picking a scent that's tied to a trauma
if you can, pet an animal. hold a cat. they're great for this.
further on that, soft things in general. fidgets. nuanced textures that you can interact with (case in point, i'm typing this like a maniac rn)
learned this one from a friend ( @spacefall-system , cheers mate) consume some sour sweets. shocks u into 'oh fuck i'm here.' also some science shows it can trigger the parasympathetic nervous system, which is essentially the "calm tf down" part.
get your shoes off and put your feet on the ground. physically feel what that feels like.
i am currently chugging oversteeped tea bc the bitterness is keeping me grounded. also the mug is warm, which reminds me that i'm controlling my hands and i'm holding it.
physically rub your arms and legs, like you're trying to warm them up.
if i were to suggest anything, i'd make it a convo with your system. leave a journal page open. figure out what grounds everyone. some littles may like a specific stuffie. i know i prefer tastes and scents to ground. everyone's different.
on top of all this, though, be gentle with yourself. grounding ain't the same as forcing yourself to stay in front. our therapist is real clear on that one. switches happen with CDDs. grounding is an important skill to have, but don't get all mad at yourself if you're dissociating. that's literally how this works.
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