Calming Yourself During an Emergency

Practice these coping strategies regularly. The more you use them, the easier it will be to reach for them during a disaster to clear your mind, stay calm, and think clearly.

When You Need to Calm Your Body:

• Reset with your breath
  • Take 10 slow breaths and focus on each inhale and exhale.
• Connect to your senses
  • Name 3 things you can see, 2 things you can hear, & 1 sensation you can feel.
• Tense and release
  • Make a fist, hold for a moment, then open your hand and stretch out your fingers. Do the same thing with your toes. Notice the relaxation that comes after tensing and releasing.

When You Need to Shift Your Thinking:

• Think about what you can control
  • You can choose what you react to. Understand and accept that things change and focus on the choices you can make.
• Remember what is going well
  • When things are overwhelming, it’s easy to get caught up in the negative. Take note of whatever positive moments or situations are happening in the moment.
• Focus on the next step
  • Think of how to move forward from a situation, instead of why it happened. Staying focused on the why can keep us stuck on what can’t be changed.
• Look at things differently
  • Our brains can trick us by focusing on the worst-case scenario. Even certain words we use can change the way we look at things. Try imagining the best outcome and notice how it feels.
• Make a “worry window”
  • If you’re stuck on a thought or worry about what’s going on, schedule a time to focus on it. You can concentrate on whatever you’re worried about during a 5-10-minute timeframe and then move on. This will help put you in control and limit the time you spend worrying.
• Get support
  • Connect with others who are going through the same thing. You can also get confidential support by calling or texting 988.

When You Need to Distract Your Mind:

• Move your body
  • Stretch, go for a walk or dance
• Laugh or smile
  • Find something that brings you joy
• Listen to music
  • Put on some of your favorite tunes
• Fidget away
  • Grab a stress ball or fidget toy
• Focus on numbers
  • Count backwards from 100

For more information on managing stress, visit BeWell.ny.gov.