There are many situations that can magnify your anxiety, and having a coping strategy to stay grounded can help you navigate and overcome these situations without escalating them into an anxiety or panic attack.
The 3-3-3 rule for anxiety can help you calm yourself when your anxiety spikes [1]. Anxiety is a common condition in the United States, with about 3.1% of the population having a diagnosed anxiety disorder [2]. When anxiety becomes too much and it starts impacting your daily life, Clear Behavioral Health has various anxiety treatments to help you better navigate the condition by providing proper coping tools and medication if needed.
The 3-3-3 rule is a powerful tool — let us help you build even more with anxiety treatment in the Los Angeles, California area.
What is the 3-3-3 Rule for Anxiety?
The 3-3-3 technique to relieve anxiety is three separate steps:
- First, name 3 things you see around you out loud
- Then, name 3 sounds you hear out loud
- Finally, move 3 body parts
This technique helps you ground your nervous system and brings you back into the present moment. The 3-3-3 rule helps by interrupting anxiety cycles and engages all your senses to refocus on something else. This type of mindfulness-based intervention for your symptoms is great for recentering yourself during increasing feelings of anxiety and anxiety attacks.
When and Where to Use the 3-3-3 Rule
The best moments to use the 333 rule for anxiety are normally during panic attacks, anxiety attacks, in social situations that feel overwhelming, during medical appointments, during work stress, in crowded environments, or any situation where you feel your anxiety taking over.
The technique does need to be adapted depending on the setting, so if you are at work, maybe stepping outside to use the technique or going to a different part of the office can be beneficial. If you are home and the room you are in seems to be blending together, going to a different part of your house is helpful by changing your environment.
Using the 3-3-3 is a type of preventative care for anxiety symptoms that can make a big difference. Using preventative care can help you avoid a crisis.
Related: How to Deal with Anxiety Holistically
Managing Social Anxiety with the 3-3-3 Rule
This tool is especially useful if you have social anxiety disorder. While using the 3-3-3 method, you can be discreet. It can be utilized in interviews, at social gatherings, and even during public speaking to help ease your anxiety symptoms and get you back to enjoying the social event. If it seems like your social anxiety is not improving after using the 3-3-3 rule, seeking professional support to manage your anxiety can provide you with even more coping tools and help you practice them.
Related: How to Overcome Social Anxiety
How Do You Manage Anxiety? A Comprehensive Approach
The best treatment plan for managing anxiety differs from person to person. Everyone has different anxiety management toolkits that work best for them, which means some benefit from deep breathing, while others get more benefits from progressive muscle relaxation and cognitive restructuring. Professional treatment, such as therapy, will help you find the treatment approach that works for you, especially if your symptoms are persistent.
CBT and Anxiety: Professional Treatment Approaches
Another approach to managing anxiety is to attend individual therapy, where you can learn techniques like the 3-3-3 method. A mental health professional, like a therapist or counselor, will teach you various coping skills for anxiety, could recommend medication, and apply therapeutic techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
CBT is an evidence-based therapy that your therapist can use to help you change your negative or anxious thought patterns into more positive and constructive ones. This, coupled with techniques like 3-3-3, exposure therapy, and other mindfulness interventions, will help you manage and reduce anxiety symptoms. Additionally, attending anxiety support groups, where you’ll be with like-minded people who can share how they manage anxiety, or their perspectives on navigating life with it, helps ground you and feel less alone in your symptoms.
Related: What is CBT?
Teen Anxiety: Helping Adolescents Stay Grounded
Teens tend to deal with a lot of anxiety during the transitional period of their lives. Academic stress, bodily changes, mood fluctuations, peer pressure, and familial conflict are all common causes of anxiety in teens. Other anxious feelings come from school, home life, and even social media. Having teens learn the 3-3-3 method will give them an appropriate coping tool for moments when they are overwhelmed with anxiety symptoms.
At Clear Behavioral Health, we offer teen-specific anxiety treatment programs that teach teens how to manage their anxiety while learning real-life coping skills. Having a treatment program where everyone is similar in age helps with the healing process, giving your teen a feeling of familiarity and understanding. Our teen treatment program also includes parent support groups and family therapy, which allows the family to heal together and learn how to better support each other.
What’s the Best Treatment for Anxiety?
What can be considered the best treatment for anxiety differs from person to person. Individual therapy is beneficial since it focuses on you, your upbringing, and what goals you want to reach. In these individual therapy environments, different therapeutic techniques like CBT, DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy), or exposure therapy are often used.
In addition, group therapy, or anxiety support groups, bring a sense of community. These are spaces where you can relate to people who have had similar experiences, and you can learn how to actively listen while learning how to alleviate anxiety and navigate situations from different perspectives.
Clear Behavioral Health’s Anxiety Treatment Programs Throughout Los Angeles and California
At Clear Behavioral Health, we offer anxiety treatment programs across the Los Angeles area in various locations, including our newest location in Santa Clarita, CA. Our programs include individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, and holistic modalities.
If an outpatient program is not an option due to accessibility issues, we do offer a Virtual IOP, our online treatment program that encompasses the same mental health resources offered in our other programs. All our staff are licensed professionals who are trained to tailor treatment to your unique needs, and our programs are in-network with most major insurance providers.
How Do I Beat Anxiety? Taking the Next Steps
Anxiety is a common emotion, but for some, it can change into something that hinders their lives. Seeking help for anxiety, whether it’s mild or severe, can help your overall functioning and ability to thrive in everyday life. Using management techniques like 3-3-3 is great, but keep in mind that using these techniques in tandem with professional help is always recommended to beat anxiety and get back to enjoying your life.
Breathe in. Breathe out. We’re here when you’re ready. Call us today to learn more about anxiety treatment in Los Angeles, California.
Manage Your Anxiety Today
The benefits of the 3-3-3 technique for anxiety are helpful when you are in the throes of overwhelmingly anxious feelings, especially during panic attacks and anxiety attacks. Taking back your life from the hold of anxiety can be freeing. Call Clear Behavioral Health today to regain control and find hope again.
References:
- Brown, S. (2025, February 7). Anxiety coping strategies: the 3-3-3 rule, mindfulness, and more. Cumberland Heights. https://cumberlandheights.org/resources/blog/anxiety-coping-strategies-the-3-3-3-rule-mindfulness-and-more/
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder. (n.d.-b). National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/generalized-anxiety-disorder
