If you’ve ever had a panic attack, you know how terrifying it feels. Your chest tightens, your heart races, and for a moment it seems like you’re completely losing control.
The good news is: as scary as they feel, panic attacks are not dangerous. They happen when your body’s “fight-or-flight” response becomes overactive, often triggered by stress or sometimes without a clear cause.
It usually passes within minutes, and there are simple things you can do to help yourself through it.
Let’s take a look at them.
1. Recognize That It’s a Panic Attack
One of the quickest ways to lower the intensity of a panic attack is to recognize it for what it is.
Panic attacks feel frightening, but they are not life-threatening. Understanding this reduces the “fear of fear” that often fuels the cycle.
Common symptoms include:
People who can correctly identify their symptoms as a panic attack experience less escalation of fear.
This is because the brain stops interpreting the sensations as something dangerous, like a heart attack or fainting spell.
2. Focus on Your Breathing
When panic starts, many people begin to breathe too fast and shallowly.
This makes the chest feel tighter, the head lightheaded, and the fear even worse. Slowing your breathing helps your body calm down and steadies your mind.
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Try this technique: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, then exhale slowly for 8 seconds (4-7-8 Method).
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Alternate: Place a hand on your belly and breathe deeply so it rises and falls. This encourages calmer, diaphragmatic breathing.
Research confirms that slow, controlled breathing significantly reduces anxiety symptoms by activating the body’s relaxation response (parasympathetic system) and lowering physiological arousal.
3. Ground Yourself in the Present (5-4-3-2-1 Method)
When panic hits, your mind often races into “what ifs.” Grounding helps pull you back to the Present, reminding your brain that you are safe.
The 5-4-3-2-1 Method:
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5 things you can see
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4 things you can touch
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3 things you can hear
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2 things you can smell
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1 thing you can taste
Why it works: This exercise engages your senses, shifts focus from fear to reality, and reduces the intensity of anxious thoughts.
Grounding techniques help regulate overwhelming emotions, reduce dissociation, and bring calm during anxiety or panic.
4. Relax Your Body
Panic attacks often make your muscles tighten without you even noticing. Releasing that tension sends a signal of safety back to your brain.
Progressive muscle relaxation reduces physical tension and lowers anxiety symptoms, making it easier to regain control during a panic episode.
5. Use Reassuring Self-talk
What you say to yourself during a panic attack matters. Negative thoughts like “I’m losing control” can fuel the panic, while calm reminders can help ease it.
Try phrases such as:
Cognitive-behavioral research suggests that replacing catastrophic thoughts with realistic ones can reduce the intensity of panic symptoms and help interrupt the fear cycle.
6. Splash Cold Water or Hold an Ice Cube
Cold sensations can interrupt a panic attack by quickly shifting your body’s focus.
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Splash cool water on your face.
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Hold an ice cube in your hand and notice the sharp, cold feeling.
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Place a cold cloth on the back of your neck.
This works because a sudden cold can activate the body’s “diving reflex,” which naturally slows the heart rate and calms the nervous system.
What to do If Panic Attacks Happen Often
If panic attacks keep repeating, it may help to look at patterns in your lifestyle and seek extra support.
i. Keep a diary: Track when attacks happen, what you were doing, and how you felt. This can reveal triggers.
ii. Lifestyle support:
iii. Professional help
If attacks are frequent or interfering with daily life, talking to a mental health professional can make a big difference. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and, in some cases, medication are proven treatments for panic disorder.
Summary
Remember, panic attacks do not define who you are. With time and practice, you can develop confidence in handling them and continue living a full life.
If you’ve had your own experience when you had a panic attack at one point in time, please share it below. Someone else might draw strength from your story.
Researched by Victoria Odueso
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