How to stop a panic attack
A panic attack is frightening but not dangerous: the NHS says it will not cause physical harm, and most last between 5 and 20 minutes, though some have been reported to last up to an hour. It is a false alarm your body's fight-or-flight system sets off with no real threat present. The NHS advice for the moment is to stay where you are if possible, breathe slowly and deeply, and remind yourself that it will pass. No trial has tested a long exhale during a panic attack; the well-known Stanford study (Balban et al., Cell Reports Medicine, 2023) tested five minutes a day of breathing practice in healthy adults over a month, and found mood improved more with breathwork than with mindfulness meditation. Here is how to ride one out.
Your heart pounds, your chest tightens, the room feels unreal, and some part of you is certain something is badly wrong. Knowing this has a name, a cause, and a built-in end point is part of how you get through it.
What a panic attack actually is
A panic attack is a sudden surge of your body's fight-or-flight response when there is no real danger to fight or flee. A rush of adrenaline causes the racing heart, the tight chest, the dizziness, the tingling, and the strange sense of unreality or of losing control. It can feel catastrophic, even like a heart attack, but the sensations are your alarm system misfiring rather than a sign that your body is failing. Panic attacks most often peak within 10 to 20 minutes (MedlinePlus), and the NHS says most last between 5 and 20 minutes. Some symptoms can linger for an hour or more. One important caveat: because panic symptoms overlap with heart problems, if this is your first attack, or there is chest pain or real trouble breathing, treat it as a medical matter and get checked, since only a doctor can rule out a physical cause.
How to stop a panic attack in the moment
- Name it. Tell yourself plainly: this is a panic attack, it is not dangerous, and it will pass. Taking some of the fear out of the fear may help it pass sooner.
- Slow your breathing. In a panic, people tend to over-breathe, which lowers the carbon dioxide in your blood and can worsen the dizziness and tingling (Cleveland Clinic). Slowing down counters that, and the NHS advises breathing slowly and deeply. Cleveland Clinic also suggests breathing out slowly through pursed lips, which helps raise carbon dioxide. That is a reason to let the out-breath be unhurried; it has not been shown that a longer exhale beats an even one. There are more options in breathing exercises for anxiety, or let the Breathing tool set the pace for you.
- Ground into your senses. Pulling your attention out of the catastrophic thoughts and into the room helps. The 5-4-3-2-1 technique is built for exactly this, and Grounding will walk you through a guided version.
- Do not fight it. Let it move through. Drop your shoulders, unclench your jaw, and let the wave rise and fall. Struggling against it may add fuel. You are riding it out, not winning a battle.
- Stay where you are if you safely can. The NHS advises staying where you are if possible. Avoiding the places where attacks happen can feel protective, but avoidance tends to make fear worse over the long term, as exposure-therapy research describes (American Psychological Association). Letting it pass where you are gives your brain evidence that you came through it.
What is the 3-3-3 rule for panic?
Sight, sound, then movement, three of each, in that order. It gives a racing mind something concrete to do instead of chasing the next catastrophic thought, which is why so many people reach for it mid-attack. We covered it in the 3-3-3 rule for anxiety.
How to help someone else having a panic attack
If you are with someone in the middle of one, your calm is the most useful thing in the room.
- Stay steady and reassure them: remind them it is a panic attack and that it will pass.
- Do not crowd them, grab them, or pile on instructions.
- If they want, breathe slowly alongside them so they have a rhythm to follow.
- Ask what they need rather than assuming. Afterward, be gentle. They may feel drained or embarrassed, and a little warmth goes a long way.
When to reach for more support
If panic attacks are frequent or recurring, that may be panic disorder, which is very treatable. The occasional panic attack is exhausting but common; a pattern of them is worth naming to a professional. It also helps to know where the line sits, and what the symptoms of extreme anxiety look like when worry moves past the manageable range. Talking therapies like CBT are a recommended and effective treatment, sometimes alongside medication, and a professional can tailor the approach to you. And if this is your first time, or there is chest pain or symptoms that feel different from your usual pattern, it is worth getting checked by a doctor to rule out other causes, because panic can mimic, and be mimicked by, other things.
One thing to remember
The next time it comes, you do not have to make it stop. You only have to let it pass: breathe slowly, soften your body, and remind yourself that it always does. The less you fear the panic, the less power it holds over you.
Sources
- Balban, M. Y., Neri, E., Kogon, M. M., et al. (2023). Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal. Cell Reports Medicine, 4(1), 100895
- Panic disorder. NHS
- Panic disorder. MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine
- Hyperventilation. Cleveland Clinic
- American Psychological Association, Society of Clinical Psychology (2017). What Is Exposure Therapy?
Solace offers calm, practical tools, not medical advice. If panic attacks are frequent or affecting your life, please speak with a doctor or a qualified professional. If you ever feel unsafe or are unsure whether your symptoms are panic or something physical, seek medical help.
Common questions
How long does a panic attack last?
Most panic attacks last between 5 and 20 minutes, according to the NHS, and some have been reported to last up to an hour. It rarely feels that short at the time. Knowing there is a limit is often what makes the fear itself easier to ride out.
How can you tell a panic attack from a heart attack?
You often cannot tell for certain on your own, because the symptoms overlap, so when in doubt treat it as a medical emergency and get help. As a guide, panic tends to peak and then ease within minutes and often settles as you slow your breathing, while heart-attack pain is more often a heavy pressure or squeezing that may spread to the arm, jaw, neck or back, with cold sweat or nausea, and does not ease with breathing. A first attack, a pain that feels different from your usual pattern, or genuine uncertainty are all reasons to call emergency services rather than guess. It is always better to be checked.
What is the 3-3-3 rule for panic?
Name three things you can see, three things you can hear, then move three parts of your body. It is an easy-to-remember way to pull your attention out of the spiral and back into the room, and it pairs well with slow breathing.
How do you help someone having a panic attack?
Mostly by staying calm yourself, which many people find steadying. Remind them it is a panic attack and that it will pass, do not crowd them or pile on instructions, breathe slowly alongside them if they want, and ask what they need. Afterwards be gentle: they may feel drained or embarrassed.
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