12 Ways You Can Deal With A Panic Attack

Having a panic attack can be scary and unexpected. While we may notice warning signs early on, we may try to ignore them to continue functioning at the level that we hope to.

It is also important to consider that what works to prevent panic for one situation may not be helpful in another situation.

This is why we must have various different ways to deal with panic attacks as they arise.

If you just recently started having panic attacks, I hope that this list helps you to identify ways that you can deal with them.

Remember that you might have to try a few different things before you find the interventions that work best for you. Again, these interventions may change as you change.

Here are twelve ways to deal with a panic attack.

Breathe

We cannot talk about deep breathing enough.

When your body experiences panic, it goes into “freeze, flight, or fight” mode. Panic is essentially fear. The body believes that it is truly in danger.

Whether or not it is, is for you to intellectually decide. Most often, we are not actually in danger and our minds are just convincing us that we are.

Deep breathing will help to return the body to its baseline state and reduce the panic. There are so many different breathing exercises you could try. Start by simply searching “deep breathing techniques for anxiety”.

Walk Away

If something is causing you significant anxiety, it may be helpful to walk away from the situation until you can return to it in a better state that feels safer for you.

Avoiding a situation forever, however, will not be helpful in reducing your overall anxiety.

Consistent and safe exposure to the situation will be the most helpful in the long-run.

Spend Time With Your Animal

Animals are so therapeutic. Most pet owners who have anxiety will gravitate towards their pet in a time of need. For whatever reasons, and it may be anthropomorphizing, animals just appear for the most part to understand and want to love you when you are struggling.

Perhaps you could try playing fetch with your dog or taking it for a walk if you are feeling panicky.

Do this before the panic attack arises if you can and see if it will help to reduce the overall level of anxiety.

Do Your Research

You might consider doing some research about how to reduce your panic in the moment.

Sometimes you might forget everything you know that will help. That is okay and not uncommon.

Often time’s people feel disconnected from themselves and their communities during panic.

You might consider googling how to deal with your panic in the moment. Likely you will find answers you had forgotten about or simply didn’t know for managing your panic attack.

Do A Grounding Exercise

When panic attacks arise, we can tend to feel disconnected from ourselves or reality.

It can therefore be helpful to use grounding techniques to get back to reality and reconnect with ourselves.

Try naming four things that you can see, four things that you can feel, four things that you can hear, and anything that you can smell.

Call Your Therapist

If you have been going to individual or group counselling to address your panic attacks, you might be able to contact your provider to ask for assistance addressing your panic.

Each therapist will have a different on-call approach, so make sure you talk about this before you get started calling them after hours.

Many providers want to help you through these situations so that you can mimic the interventions later on your own that they use with you.

Meditate

Meditation or mindfulness practice can be really helpful in reconnecting with your wise mind.

If you have never meditated before, you may consider using a guided meditation to lead you through the practice.

You can find many on YouTube and easily follow along.

Ask Someone For Support

If you have a loved one near you or a friend that you trust, asking for support may aid in your relief from panic. It could be that you need to be held, talked to, or simply have someone sit next to you.

Whatever you need is great, but you have to be willing to ask for it.

Remember that people want to help, but they typically need you to lead what that looks like. Most people will not inherently know what to do to support you. We have to teach them what support looks like for us.

It could also be helpful to pre-plan your anxiety with this person. So, talk to them when you are at your baseline about your anxiety. Tell them and make an agreement with them about what you need and how they can support you in the event that you begin to panic. This can help the transition go smoother because in the moment you may struggle to effectively advocate for yourself and what you need.

Listen To Your Favourite Music

Music can be so healing. If you have a favorite Pandora station, it may be helpful to you to play it.

You might even consider dancing to it. The act of getting outside of your body a bit through movement can be helpful in reducing anxiety.

Take Your Medication

If you have a history of having panic attacks and you have seen a psychiatrist for pharmaceutical support, do not forget to take the as-needed prescription that you may have. It is only as helpful as your ability to take it.

Remember to keep your prescription filled and current in the event that you want to take it.

Alternatively, try to find a natural solution that works for you, as these typically have far few side-effects.

And do not forget to carry water on you as well.

Avoid Things That Will Make The Panic Worse

If you are in the midst of panic or anxiety, you should avoid substances and situations that may the panic worse.

For example, it probably will not be helpful to keep drinking your coffee when you are having a panic attack because it could give you jitters and make the feelings worse.

Additionally, drugs or alcohol will likely not help your feelings of panic. (Somebody I used to be close to used to suffer panic attacks, and they were always worse after they’d been drinking.)

Call A Crisis Line

There are resources for support out there. It may be helpful to you if you are unable to gain your feelings of control and to reduce your panic, to call a confidential and free hotline.

In the United States, you can call the Panic Disorder Information Hotline at 1-800-647-2642 for support anytime.

Other countries may have similar services, so make sure you look up their number and carry it with you (maybe as a contact in your phone) at all times.

Please remember, however, that these providers will be mandated to assist or even report if you have plans to harm yourself or someone else.

Conclusion

These are just a few ideas of many that could help to support you if you are struggling with a panic attack.

Remember to write your own list and refer back to it because only you know what will best support you as you struggle.

Please also remember that this is a human struggle and that people want to support you in your time of need. Simply ask for support and you will likely find it.

Best of luck on your journey to reducing your panic and living well!

Additional Resources

These are suggestions for those who wish to delve deeper into any of the above:

1. Guided Breathing Exercises
2. Meditation For Beginners
3. Pandora