Coping skill · 2 min
Box breathing
Your chest is tight and your thoughts are sprinting.
Do this
- Breathe in through your nose for a slow count of 4.
- Hold for 4.
- Breathe out through your mouth for 4.
- Hold empty for 4.
- Repeat four rounds. Count on your fingers if your mind wanders.
Why it works
Strong feelings and urges rise, peak and fall, usually within minutes. A skill gives your body something to do while the wave passes, and each time you ride one out, the next one gets a little easier.