​

How to Know When You’re Dysregulated

You may be dysregulated when you notice:

• racing thoughts

• difficulty focusing

• feeling overwhelmed or flooded

• sudden irritability or withdrawal

• your body feeling tense, shaky, or numb

These signs don’t mean you’re “too emotional.”

They mean your nervous system is asking for support.

 

1. Grounding Techniques

Grounding helps bring your mind back into the present moment when your body is reacting to past or perceived danger.

• 5‑4‑3‑2‑1 sensory grounding: Name things you can see, touch, hear, smell, and taste.

• temperature shifts: Cool water on your hands, a cold drink, or stepping outside.

• orienting: Look around the room and name where you are, what day it is, and what’s true right now.

• physical anchoring: Press your feet into the floor or hold onto a solid object.

 

2. Breathwork Options

Breathwork helps regulate your nervous system by slowing your heart rate and signaling safety.

• box breathing: Inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4.

• extended exhale breathing: Inhale 4, exhale 6–8.

• hand‑over‑heart breathing: Gentle pressure on the chest while breathing slowly.

• paced breathing: Match your breath to a slow count or rhythm.

 

3. Sensory Resets

Sensory tools help interrupt overwhelm by giving your brain a clear, simple input.

• weighted blanket or firm pressure

• warm shower or warm compress

• soothing scents like lavender or eucalyptus

• soft textures like blankets, clothing, or grounding objects

• calming sounds like rain, white noise, or quiet music

 

4. Self‑Soothing Scripts

Scripts help you speak to yourself the way a safe person would — calm, steady, and without judgment.

• “I am safe in this moment.”

• “My body is reacting, but I am not in danger.”

• “I can take this one step at a time.”

• “I don’t have to solve everything right now.”

• “This feeling will pass.”

 

5. Identifying What You Need

Sometimes regulation starts with naming what your body is asking for.

• rest

• movement

• quiet

• connection

• space

• information or clarity

Your needs aren’t inconveniences — they’re signals.

 

6. When to Pause

It’s okay to stop, breathe, and step back when you notice:

• your thoughts spiraling

• your body tightening or shaking

• your emotions feeling too big to hold

• your mind going blank or foggy

Pausing isn’t avoidance. It’s regulation.

 

7. Returning to Clarity

Once your nervous system settles, you may notice:

• your thoughts slowing down

• your breathing evening out

• your body relaxing

• your ability to think returning

• your sense of self coming back online

This is your window of clarity — the place where grounded decisions live.

 

A Note From Mom-At-Arms

You don’t regulate to be “strong.”
You regulate to be clear.

Your nervous system isn’t a problem to fix — it’s a system to understand.
And every time you use one of these tools, you’re choosing clarity over chaos, grounding over panic, and agency over survival mode.