By Maria Lebron, November 2022
Panic attacks are the body’s alarm system responding to a perceived threat. The body readies to defend itself and activates the fight-flight-freeze response. Sometimes our body can react in this way even when there is no real danger.
Panic attacks can come on suddenly. Panic attacks will always pass and will usually last up to five to ten minutes at most. Since panic attacks take up a lot of energy in the body, they don’t last very long. Panic attacks can’t cause you actual harm even though they may feel very uncomfortable or scary.
When having a panic attack, you may experience:
— rapid breathing or hyperventilation
— a fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeat
— a feeling of doom or feeling that you are dying
— chest pain or discomfort
— feelings of fear and anxiety
— numbness or tingling
— sweating
— shaking
— feeling disoriented
— dizziness
— nausea
Knowing what to do when a panic attack happens can help you feel more in control and make the panic attack easier to manage. The following are techniques to use during or after a panic attack:
— focusing on the panic attack symptoms may make them feel more intense. The key to stopping or minimizing the panic attack is to focus on what you see and hear in your external world rather than focusing on your internal symptoms.
— look around you and use the 5-4-3-2-1 method to ground you. Name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can touch, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. If not all of these are available do as much as you can.
— remember that no matter how scared you are, these feelings will pass and cause no physical harm.
— panic attacks can cause rapid and shallow breathing so taking slow and deep breaths can help bring a panic attack under control.
— focusing on one object can help you feel grounded. Look at the object and think about the shape, color, texture, who made it, etc. It may help to carry a small object with you for these exercises.
— try to move to a place where there isn’t too much noise or overwhelming stimulus. If you can’t move away, close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing.
— keep repeating a mantra, which can be any word, phrase, or sound that will help you focus and calm down.
— try progressive muscle relaxation where you focus on a body part, tense it for 5 seconds and then release for 10 seconds before moving on to another body part.
— picture a safe place. Close your eyes and imagine being at this place and think of what you can see, hear, touch and smell.
— place a cold wet washcloth on your neck.
If the panic attacks increase or become hard to manage, seek professional help. If you find yourself developing avoidant behaviors or changing your behavior, it will be helpful to work on this with a professional.