Senses and anxiety

By: Melissa, mom of three

My daughter as a teen in a post covid world has severe anxiety issues. We often encounter highest issues when things are too much. She has taken to doodling (mostly series of repeating spirals) to cope. We are also trying out some mindfulness hacks like 5-4-3-2-1. Here my daughter reminds herself to see five things around her and name them, hear four things and name them, feel/touch three things (like her  think about her socks or touch her hair or feel her back pain), smell two things, and taste one thing (usually she tastes her own breath and thinks about it).