What to Do During a Panic Attack

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During a panic attack, the most helpful thing to do is remind yourself that it is a panic attack, that it is not dangerous, and that it will pass, then slow your breathing and let the wave peak and fall rather than fighting it. Panic attacks usually reach their peak within about ten minutes and then ease. Trying to escape or force the feelings away often makes them stronger, while staying where you are, breathing slowly with a longer exhale, and grounding yourself in your surroundings helps the body settle. Panic attacks feel terrifying, with a racing heart, breathlessness, dizziness, and fear of losing control, but they cannot harm you. Therapy can help stop them from returning.

Why These Steps Help

A panic attack is the body's alarm system firing when there is no real danger. Adrenaline speeds up the heart and breathing, which creates frightening sensations, and the mind interprets them as signs of a heart attack, fainting, or losing control. That fear releases more adrenaline, creating a loop, as described on the page about panic attacks and panic disorder. The steps below interrupt the loop by changing how you interpret and respond to the sensations, so the alarm switches off on its own.

Step by Step: Riding Out a Panic Attack

1. Name It

Say to yourself, "This is a panic attack. It feels awful, but it is not dangerous, and it will pass." Naming it reduces the fear of the unknown.

2. Stay Where You Are if You Can

Leaving teaches your brain that the place was dangerous. If you are safe, try to stay, perhaps sitting or leaning against a wall. If you are driving, pull over safely.

3. Slow Your Breathing

Breathe in gently through your nose for about four counts and out slowly for about six counts. Focus on slow and gentle, not deep. The page about breathing exercises that help with anxiety describes more options.

4. Ground Yourself

Notice five things you can see, four you can feel, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste. Press your feet into the floor or hold something cool. The page about grounding techniques has more ideas.

5. Let the Wave Peak

Instead of fighting the sensations, notice them with curiosity: "My heart is racing. My hands are tingling." Picture the panic as a wave that rises, crests, and falls.

6. Loosen Your Muscles

Drop your shoulders, unclench your jaw, and soften your hands on each exhale.

7. Return to What You Were Doing

Once the panic eases, gently go back to your activity if possible. This teaches your brain that you can cope.

What to Avoid

Avoid breathing into a paper bag, which is no longer recommended. Try not to rush to the emergency room for every attack once a physician has ruled out medical causes, since repeated checking can strengthen the fear. Avoid relying on alcohol or cannabis to calm panic. Constantly scanning your body for symptoms can also keep anxiety high.

Preventing Future Panic Attacks

Panic attacks often return when people start fearing them and avoiding places where they happened, which can lead to agoraphobia. Cognitive behavioural therapy for panic is highly effective. It includes learning how panic works, changing catastrophic thoughts, and gradually facing feared sensations and situations, sometimes called interoceptive exposure. Regular exercise, limiting caffeine, and good sleep can also help. The page about how anxiety is treated describes other options, including medication.

Getting Support at Pacific Maple Psych Centre

If panic attacks are frequent or you have started avoiding places because of them, therapy can help you stop fearing the next one.