How to stop a panic attack

A panic attack arrives like an emergency. Your heart pounds, your chest tightens, the room feels unreal, and some part of you is certain something is badly wrong. The single most important thing to know, the thing that takes some of the power out of it, is this: a panic attack is a false alarm. It is not dangerous, and it will pass. Knowing that 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 tend to peak within about ten minutes, with the whole episode usually passing within five to twenty minutes, because your body cannot sustain that surge for long. 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.

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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 the fear out of the fear is often what shortens it.
• Slow your breathing, especially the exhale. In a panic, people tend to over-breathe, which lowers the carbon dioxide in your blood and worsens the dizziness and tingling. Slow breathing with a long, soft exhale reverses that. Breathe in gently, then make the out-breath longer. There are more options in breathing exercises for anxiety.
• 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.
• Do not fight it. Let it move through. Drop your shoulders, unclench your jaw, and let the wave rise and fall. Struggling against it adds fuel. You are riding it out, not winning a battle.
• Stay where you are if you safely can. Fleeing the situation can teach your brain that the place was the threat, which makes the next attack more likely. Letting it pass where you are teaches your brain that you came through it.

What is the 3-3-3 rule for panic?

A lot of people reach for this one mid-attack because it is easy to remember: name three things you can see, three things you can hear, then move three parts of your body. It is a fast way to interrupt the spiral, and 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

The occasional panic attack is exhausting but common. If they are frequent or recurring, that may be panic disorder, which is very treatable. 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.

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.