Stress is not an enemy; it is a mechanism our psyche uses to adapt. However, when the pressure becomes chronic or overwhelming, internal resources run dry, leading to burnout, psychosomatic illnesses, or PTSD. As a crisis specialist, I emphasize: regulating your own state is not a luxury—it is essential hygiene in times of crisis.

Below is a proven stabilization protocol to help you stay grounded and recover.

1. The Foundation of Resilience: Basic Settings

Before moving to complex techniques, check your “vital” needs. Without them, no exercise will have a lasting effect:

• Sleep and Food: This is fuel for your nervous system. Even in the hardest times, try to stick to a routine.
• Movement: Physical activity (even a 20-minute walk) helps “burn off” cortisol.
• Daily Structure: Planning brings back a sense of control over your life.
• Social Glue: Talking to loved ones and helping each other creates a sense of safety.

2. Quick Aid and Stabilization Techniques

If you feel anxiety taking over “here and now,” use these methods:

The “Fortress” Method (Visualization)
When the outside world feels dangerous, we build an inner sanctuary.

1. Imagine a place (real or imaginary) where you are completely safe.
2. Detail it: what are the walls like? What does it smell like? What is the air temperature?
3. If the feeling of safety isn’t enough, “add” protection (guards, a magic shield, heavy doors).
4. Lock this image in your memory or draw it. Go back there whenever reality feels unbearable.

The “5 Steps to Reality” Technique
Helps you break out of an emotional loop and get grounded:

• Sight: What do I see right now? (Name 5 objects).
• Emotions: What am I feeling? (Name the emotion).
• Body: What does my body feel? (Tension in shoulders, cold hands, etc.).
• Thoughts: What am I thinking about?
• Action: What useful thing can I do right now?

3. Dealing with Intrusive Thoughts

Distancing: The “Thought Tram”
Not every thought deserves your attention. Imagine your anxious thought is a tram pulling up to a station. You see it, you recognize the number, but you don’t get on. Let it pass by. You stay on the platform of your life.

Anxiety Control: “Scheduled Worry Time”
Anxiety seeks to take up 100% of your time. Don’t let it.

1. Set aside a specific time (for example, 6:00 PM to 6:20 PM) for “official” worrying.
2. The rest of the time, when an anxious thought pops up, tell yourself: “I’ll think about this at 6:00 PM.” Write it down if you’re afraid you’ll forget.
   This puts you back in charge of your time.

4. Working with the Body and Emotional Pain

Anti-Stress Breathing: “4-7-8”
This is a physiological “off switch” for the fight-or-flight mode:

1. Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds.
2. Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
3. Exhale slowly through your mouth (making a “whoosh” sound) for 8 seconds.

Acceptance through “Expansion”
Instead of fighting the pain (which only makes it stronger), try to accept it:

1. Locate the pain in your body.
2. Breathe “through” the sensation, as if creating open space around it.
3. Don’t try to change it—just let it be. When the struggle stops, the tension often fades on its own.

5. Desensitization (EMDR Elements)

To take the edge off heavy memories, try the bilateral stimulation technique:

1. Think of a stressful situation.
2. Start moving your eyes quickly from left to right while tapping your shoulders with crossed arms (the “Butterfly Hug”).
3. Do this for 30–60 seconds, then check your tension level.

Important to remember: These techniques are skills. They work better if you practice them when you are relatively calm.

If you feel like you can’t handle it on your own and you’re hitting a wall of exhaustion—don’t wait. Seeking professional psychological help is a sign of strength, not weakness.