7 Ways to Stop a Panic Attack

If you’ve ever experienced a panic attack, it feels like it will never end. My first panic attack was at the age of 9 following a cheer tumbling class. My parents thought it was just a bad muscle spasm that wasn’t going away. My dad was sitting with me on the couch helping me to breathe slowly into a brown paper bag to control my breathing. I ended up going to the ER that night because it felt like I was dying and nothing was helping. This may sound extreme, but can be the reality of undiagnosed panic disorder or anxiety for lots of folks.

I am an expert now in recognizing and understanding signs of panic within myself and others. Through years of trial and error, I have learned evidence-based techniques that actually work for interrupting a panic attack. I have dedicated hours upon hours to learn how to target the source of panic attack without necessarily resorting to the intervention of a fast-acting pill like Xanax or Klonopin. However, these medications can be extremely helpful when no other coping skills are proving effective at the moment.

Here are some common physical signs you may be having a panic attack:

• Tunnel vision

• Nausea or vomiting

• Shaking hands or full body trembling

• Shortness of breath

• Dizziness or feeling lightheaded

• Chest pain or tightness

• Numbness or tingling in your hands or feet

• Sweating

• Rapid heart rate

Additionally, here are some psychological symptoms: 

• Fear of losing control

• Fear of dying

• Feeling detached from the present moment or people around you

• Confusion or disorientation

• Intense fear or dread in a situation

• Irrational thoughts or beliefs

If any of these symptoms persist for extended periods of time or you have concern for actual medical issues, please consult with your primary care doctor to have further testing done.

I remember telling my mother during my panic attacks, “I can’t breathe” and she would calmly assure me that I was breathing because I was able to talk to her still. But my logical brain was offline. I couldn’t make sense of that connection at the moment. I would then become irritable and even more dysregulated. That intensity of a panic attack can sometimes last 5 minutes or even up to an hour.

When we are in a state of panic, our body’s number one goal is to respond to a perceived threat whether it is real or not. It activates the sympathetic nervous system, also known as our flight or fight response. It floods our body with stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which exaggerates our reality of the threat. The decision making part of our brain, the prefrontal cortex, is temporarily offline.

Often clients share with me how their partner or loved one will try to help them during a panic attack, but feel that the other person is just making it worse. Typically, a person who has never experienced a panic attack will respond from a very calm and logical point of view. This sense of calm can be helpful in regulating the activated person, but unhelpful if they just keep repeating, “You’re ok. Everything is fine. What do you need?” These statements are reassuring on paper, but when the amygdala (small part in our brain that processes emotions like fear and anger) is over-activated there is no sense to be logically made responding to those.

Stop letting feelings of panic hold you back from finding your serenity in life.

I compiled a list of seven effective coping strategies for someone experiencing a panic attack. So whether you know someone who struggles with panic disorder and are wanting to be more supportive, or if you struggle with calming yourself down in a panic episode these are beneficial to try!

1. Splashing cold water on your face or submerging your face in a bowl of ice water for 20 seconds. You can do this repeatedly for 5 minutes if needed. This  helps to activate the parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for relaxation and digestion, helping pull you out of fight or flight mode.

2. Suck on a sour candy for 1 minute. This method produces more saliva in your mouth which will also activate the parasympathetic nervous system. For me, the sour candy within itself is enough to distract my mental state and pull me back to reality sometimes.

3. Progressive Muscle Relaxation can be abbreviated during a panic attack, but typically can be a 15-20 minute meditation. It is done by tensing your arms or legs for 5 seconds, then controlling a slow release. Repeating this as many times as needed to produce a calming effect and regaining a sense of control over your body.

4. Butterfly Tapping refers to crossing your arms over your chest and gently tapping in an alternating pattern with your fingertips. This engages bilateral stimulation which helps process distressing emotions and calming your nervous system by engaging both sides of the brain simultaneously.

5. Smell calming scents like lavender or eucalyptus to soothe the stress hormones in your body. Smell is one the most powerful senses in our human functioning and is strong enough to pull us back into the present moment. I like to have a small amount of lavender oil rubbed on my wrists and smell occasionally on stressful days.

6. Grounding techniques can be as simple as noticing your surroundings and ground you to the present moment. Describing the colors, textures, smells, sounds, or anything externally stimulating outside of your body. Touch a blanket or pillow near you. It helps to temporarily distract and center yourself while in a state of panic.

7. Deep breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth helps create a cyclic rhythm which our body craves for regulation. Having someone with you breathing slowly and helping mirror what it looks like can help prevent further hyperventilation. 

Moreover, when experiencing a panic attack your main focus should be on interrupting the panic cycle and calming your nervous system. There is no benefit in trying to figure out “why” you are feeling panicky in the moment or gaslighting yourself into feeling calmer. Be gentle with yourself and activate the parasympathetic nervous system.

You have the power to stop a panic attack from worsening. You can interrupt a panic attack within 5 minutes more often than you think. You don’t have to keep suffering from intense anxiety or avoiding situations in life due to a fear of having a panic episode. Seek professional support for diving deeper into the source of your anxiety.

Try practicing these techniques even when you’re not experiencing panic so that your body can adjust faster during a crisis mode. Your brain will have a hard time recalling these skills if you’ve never practiced them before.

Reach out today if interested in stopping your panic cycle and regaining control in your life!