5 Ways to Curb a Panic Attack When Its Already Happening

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Congrats. You're having a panic attack. But guess what? It's going to be okay. I've been there, and probably 1 in 4 people you know have too.

Some "fun" facts about panic attacks
- They cannot physically hurt you, or leave any lasting effects. Unless you fall over yourself, then its on you buddy.
- They don't usually last longer than 20 minutes, peaking at about 10 minutes and then calming down a little. You can feel general anxiety symptoms for extended periods but intense panic cannot be sustained.
- They don't have to have a trigger, although busy locations, parties and queues tend to be common causes.
- They can affect both men and women of any social status.
- They won't make you faint or pass out, but you might really need to take a sh#t (sorry mum)

The following are tips I've picked up from the ensemble of counsellors and therapists I've seen over the years, and they are techniques I use personally that minimize the stress of hitting that top rung of panic and talk yourself down from peak anxiety. Some of these tricks do take regular practice but putting in the preparation does pay off.

1. Tell yourself that you will be okay. Rinse and repeat.
Explain to yourself that logically, these symptoms are symptoms. They are a nuisance. But they will wash over you and the tide will fall back. Imagine yourself as a strong building and your symptoms are like stormy rainclouds that are just passing around you. It probably doesn't feel like you're in control but visualise yourself standing firm. Just acknowledge your symptoms as symptoms. You don't freak out over a runny nose and sore throat, because its a harmless common cold; and anxiety is both physically harmless AND common.

2. Breathe
Obviously. But as the famous song goes "It ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it." Bookmark this GIF image for reference so you can practice controlled breathing so you're a pro in a panic attack scenario. You can also follow your own pattern; such as breathe in through your nose for 5 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, breathe out through your mouth for 8 seconds. The more you practice this, the easier it is to apply when you need it, or help anyone experiencing a panic attack.

3. Don't leave the situation
Whatever you do, don't. I did, over and over, and now I have agoraphobia. YAY. Panic attacks are terrifying but if you can learn not to be afraid of them, you're onto a winner. If its a horrendous situation with people who make you feel unsafe and uncomfortable, or there's a danger of actually getting physically hurt, you have permission to leave. But if its just your anxiety symptoms that have you scouring the room for the nearest exit, I can absolutely unequivocally say STAY PUT! Take a couple of minutes in the bathroom or something, then go back to the situation and throw yourself back in.

4. Jump, skip, hop, dance- JUST MOVE!
With so much adrenaline on the go, burning it off through physical excercise is particularly effective. That's often why you see anxious people bobbing their knees up and down, but they often don't realize they're doing it. When you're feeling very anxious in a public place, you can run on the spot in a toilet cubicle (verified this by myself). However don't just run away from the location altogether. Even if you feel like flailing around like Mark at Rainbow f#cking Rhythms. You're Louis Theroux, You're Louis Theroux. At home just force yourself to run up and down the stairs to take the edge off, but regular excercise definitely has benefits for curbing panic which I'll be writing about in another post.

5. Hyperfocus on your surroundings, not yourself 
This is extremely useful to use in general anxiety/depression anyway, but here's why it might be good for panic too. Panic attacks are internal so by interacting with your surroundings you are taking your mind off of itself, which can help you stop obsessing over physical sensations. E.g. The more you think about how sick you feel, the more intense nausea becomes. I wouldn't advise smartphones being part of distraction, but rather tactile objects you can pick up and mess with. Feel the textures within touching distance, listen to the conversations of people around you or if you have someone with you, keep talking and focus on that. If you experience dissociation in panic attacks, pick out 7 objects you can see and describe them in detail, or have ice cubes in the freezer on hand for a different sensation. Essential oils provide a soothing stimulation for the senses too.

Bonus tip: 6. Try and find the triggers and what is making you panic
If panic attacks are becoming more and more prevalent, you should definitely assess what could be causing you anxiety. Regular panic attacks are not something you should have to just "put up" with, so speak to your GP who can refer you a counsellor, or wellness scheme (it very much depends on your NHS local service, unfortunately!)