How to Stop Panic Attacks

The world seems to shrink around you. Your heart pounds so hard you can feel it in your throat. Your hands tingle, your chest tightens, and a wave of dread washes over you. You might be convinced you're dying, even if the rational part of your brain knows it's "just" a panic attack. If this sounds familiar, you're not alone.

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Millions of people experience panic attacks, those intense surges of fear that peak within minutes and can leave you feeling physically and emotionally exhausted. While they're deeply distressing, panic attacks aren't dangerous—and most importantly, there are effective techniques to stop them in their tracks.

This guide will walk you through practical, proven strategies you can use in the moment when panic strikes, as well as longer-term approaches to reduce their frequency and intensity.

Understanding What's Happening in Your Body During a Panic Attack

When panic strikes, your body activates its "fight or flight" response, flooding your system with adrenaline and other stress hormones. This ancient survival mechanism is helpful when facing actual danger, but during a panic attack, it's triggered inappropriately—like a fire alarm blaring when there's no fire.

Your body responds as if you're in mortal danger: your heart rate accelerates to pump blood to your muscles, your breathing quickens to take in more oxygen, and your digestive system slows down to divert energy to more critical functions. These physical changes explain many panic symptoms, from racing heart to shortness of breath to stomach distress.

Understanding this biological process can be your first step toward regaining control. What you're experiencing is a normal bodily response—it's just happening at the wrong time.

Immediate Techniques to Stop a Panic Attack

When you feel panic rising, try these emergency techniques to interrupt the cycle:

The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique

This powerful sensory awareness exercise helps pull your mind away from frightening thoughts and back to the present moment. Here's how to practice it:

Name five things you can see around you. Look for small details you might not usually notice, like a pattern on the wall or the way light reflects off a surface.

Acknowledge four things you can touch or feel—the texture of your clothing against your skin, the temperature of the air, the pressure of your feet against the ground, or the weight of an object in your hand.

Identify three things you can hear. Listen for ambient sounds in the background—the hum of a refrigerator, distant traffic, birds chirping outside.

Note two things you can smell. If you can't smell anything at that moment, think of two familiar scents that you find pleasant or comforting.

Name one thing you can taste. If you don't taste anything, you can recall a favorite flavor.

This technique works by engaging multiple senses, which helps disrupt the panic cycle and reconnect you with your surroundings rather than the frightening sensations in your body.

Controlled Breathing

When panic hits, many people either hyperventilate (breathe too quickly) or hold their breath without realizing it, which worsens feelings of chest tightness and dizziness. Controlled breathing can break this cycle.

Try the 4-7-8 breathing pattern: Inhale quietly through your nose for a count of four. Hold your breath for a count of seven. Then exhale completely through your mouth for a count of eight, making a gentle "whoosh" sound. The extended exhale is particularly helpful in activating your parasympathetic nervous system—the body's "rest and digest" mode that counters the fight-or-flight response.

If this pattern feels difficult, simplify it. Even taking slow, deep breaths where your exhale is longer than your inhale can help regulate your breathing and reduce panic symptoms.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

During a panic attack, your muscles tense up, which can increase feelings of anxiety. Progressive muscle relaxation involves systematically tensing and then releasing muscle groups throughout your body.

Start with your feet and work your way up. Curl your toes tightly for five seconds, then release and notice the difference between tension and relaxation. Move to your calf muscles, then thighs, and continue upward through your body.

This technique not only relieves physical tension but also provides a helpful distraction from panic symptoms by focusing your attention on a specific physical action.

Cold Water Technique

Your body's mammalian dive reflex can actually help stop a panic attack. When cold water touches your face—particularly around your eyes and cheeks—it triggers a natural calming response.

Splash cold water on your face, or place a cold, wet towel over your eyes and cheeks. If possible, you can also try holding your breath and submerging your face in a bowl of cold water for 30 seconds (only if it's safe for you to do so).

Some people find similar relief from holding an ice cube in their hands or against their skin, which creates a powerful sensory distraction from panic symptoms.

Paradoxical Intention: "Float" Through the Panic

Sometimes, fighting against panic can actually intensify it. Claire Weekes, a pioneering psychiatrist in anxiety treatment, developed an approach she called "floating" through panic.

Instead of resisting the sensations, try acknowledging them with phrases like: "These feelings are uncomfortable, but not dangerous. I can feel this anxiety and still be okay." Allow the sensations to be present without fighting them. Imagine yourself floating on a stream, letting the current (your panic symptoms) carry you until they naturally subside.

This technique requires practice but can be remarkably effective because it removes the "fear of fear" that often perpetuates panic attacks.

What to Say to Yourself During a Panic Attack

The thoughts racing through your mind during a panic attack can either worsen or improve your experience. Replacing catastrophic thinking with more balanced statements can help tremendously. Here are some helpful phrases to repeat to yourself:

"This is temporary. Panic always passes."

"I've survived this before, and I will again."

"These feelings are uncomfortable but not dangerous."

"My body is trying to protect me, even though I don't need protection right now."

"I don't need to fight this feeling. I can observe it until it passes."

These aren't just empty affirmations—they're statements grounded in the reality of what panic attacks are: intense but harmless and always temporary.

Helping Someone Else Through a Panic Attack

If you're with someone experiencing a panic attack, your calm presence can be incredibly helpful. Speak in a gentle, reassuring tone and remind them that what they're experiencing will pass. Don't minimize their distress with phrases like "just relax" or "there's nothing to worry about."

Instead, offer specific guidance: "Let's focus on breathing together" or "Can you tell me five things you can see right now?" This gives them something concrete to focus on besides their panic.

Avoid crowding their physical space, as this can increase feelings of being overwhelmed. Ask before touching them, as some people find physical contact comforting during panic while others may feel more anxious.

Beyond the Emergency: Reducing Future Panic Attacks

While these emergency techniques can help in the moment, addressing the underlying factors that contribute to panic attacks is equally important.

Understanding Your Triggers

Panic attacks sometimes seem to come out of nowhere, but they often have triggers—situations, sensations, or thoughts that set off the alarm system in your brain. Keeping a journal where you record the circumstances around your panic attacks can help identify patterns you might not otherwise notice.

Common triggers include:

Certain physical sensations that resemble the early stages of panic (like a slightly elevated heart rate after climbing stairs)

High-stress situations at work or in relationships

Specific locations associated with past panic experiences

Lack of sleep or poor nutrition

Caffeine, alcohol, or certain medications

Once you identify your personal triggers, you can work on either avoiding them when possible or gradually desensitizing yourself to them through controlled exposure.

Lifestyle Adjustments That Reduce Vulnerability to Panic

What you do between panic attacks matters just as much as what you do during them. Several lifestyle factors can either increase or decrease your vulnerability to panic:

Regular physical exercise has been shown to reduce anxiety and panic symptoms by burning off excess stress hormones and releasing endorphins, the body's natural mood elevators. Even a 10-minute daily walk can make a difference.

Sufficient sleep is crucial for emotional regulation. When you're sleep-deprived, your brain's anxiety center (the amygdala) becomes more reactive while the prefrontal cortex, which helps modulate emotions, functions less effectively.

Caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine can all exacerbate anxiety symptoms. Caffeine is a stimulant that can mimic or trigger panic symptoms. Alcohol might temporarily reduce anxiety but often leads to increased anxiety as it wears off. And nicotine, contrary to the belief that smoking "calms nerves," actually increases anxiety over time.

Regular relaxation practices, such as yoga, meditation, or even simply scheduling quiet time, can lower your baseline anxiety level, making panic attacks less likely to occur.

Professional Help for Panic Attacks

While self-help strategies can be very effective, working with a mental health professional often leads to the most significant improvements. Several evidence-based treatments exist specifically for panic attacks:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is considered the gold standard for treating panic disorder. This approach helps you identify and change the thought patterns that contribute to panic, as well as gradually confront feared sensations and situations in a controlled way.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) teaches acceptance of anxiety sensations while committing to actions that align with your values, regardless of how you feel in the moment.

Medication can be helpful, especially in the short term or for severe cases. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly prescribed for ongoing treatment, while benzodiazepines might be prescribed for short-term or occasional use during severe panic episodes.

Don't hesitate to reach out for professional help. Panic attacks are highly treatable, and you don't need to face them alone.

Creating Your Personal Panic Plan

Having a plan in place before panic strikes can make all the difference in how quickly you're able to recover. Consider creating a written plan that includes:

Your most effective emergency techniques Helpful statements to read or repeat to yourself Names and contact information for supportive people Reminders of past successes in managing panic A list of your personal triggers to be aware of

You might keep this plan in your phone or wallet so it's always accessible when needed.

The Path Forward: Living Fully Despite Panic

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that having panic attacks doesn't mean you need to live a limited life. Many people who experience panic go on to manage it successfully and pursue their goals and dreams without limitation.

As you practice these techniques and possibly work with a professional, you'll likely find that panic attacks become less frequent, less intense, and shorter in duration. Even if they don't disappear completely, your relationship with them can change dramatically—from overwhelming fear to "just another bodily sensation" that you know how to handle.

The goal isn't necessarily to never feel panic again, but rather to know that if it happens, you have the tools to move through it and continue living your life. With time and practice, what once seemed impossible—facing panic without fear—can become your new reality.

Remember, you're not broken, and you're certainly not alone. Millions of people have walked this path before you and found their way to calmer waters. With the right tools and support, you can too.

If panic attacks are significantly impacting your quality of life or occur frequently, please consult with a healthcare provider. This article is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.