One time, not at band camp, but in a group trauma treatment program that I (Angie) was attending in Washington, DC, a friend started having a panic attack. One of the therapists went to the refrigerator in the room and pulled an orange out of the freezer.

 

They handed it to the friend and explained that holding the frozen orange helps to ground during times of emotional dysregulation (feeling flooded, overwhelmed, etc.). In Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, this is related to the TIPP technique. Now I'm not a neuroscientist by a long stretch, but my amateur understanding is that the shock of the cold against the skin helps the parasympathetic nervous system to re-regulate so that you can stop spiraling out and calm down a bit. Something about us not having access to our prefrontal cortex when we're super emotionally activated, so we basically only have access to fight-or-flight instincts and don't have the ability to be super rational, etc. 

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They did warn that, for folx with a history of self-harm, it might not be the *best* grounding tool, since it does hurt and could be potentially abused, so a note on that. But generally speaking, when I reach for my frozen orange, I like to toss it back and forth between each hand so it doesn't cause any actual pain, just discomfort that basically distracts my brain away from the trigger and back to reality. 

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As the orange thaws, it also gets squishy, and the essential oils release so you emerge calm and smelling like oranges. Multi-sensory and super helpful. As someone who deals with panic attacks, anxiety, PTSD, etc, it has been super helpful for me... but please know I'm not a licensed anything and am not making any medical advice. If you have a therapist, you should talk to them about it as a possible option for you!

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For more on the science behind this, you can learn more about it here, here, and here.