How can I calm down during a panic attack?
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Last Updated: 12/29/2020 at 6:10pm
★ This question about Panic Attacks was starred by a moderator on 5/12/2016.
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Breathing exercises are key during a panic attack. One of my favorites is breath in for five counts, hold for 7 counts, and exhale in four counts. Guided meditation is also very successful. YouTube has many guided meditations specifically oriented towards panic attacks, which you may find helpful. Another important thing is positive self-talk. Try interrupting those panicked and life-ending thoughts with a calm phrase that you practice, such as "this is temporary, I will make it through this," or "There is plenty of space, I can breathe freely." A phrase that you practice that is calming and comforting can be very helpful.
I hope one of these helps you!
To calm down for a panic attack- Accept what is going on, do not resist the sensations. You'd often find that no matter how hard you try to fight it, the attack keeps going on. Be mindful of your breathing and the present moment. With panic, there is rapid firing of anxiety and worry about what will happen in future, if you focus your attention to the present and on your breathing; it will be difficult to stay with the panic thoughts and ultimately diffuse the sensations. Along with the breath and present moment, you could take deep counted breaths, by paying mindful attention and counting the seconds you take to breathe in, holding breath at the top and as you release your breath. "Whatever you resist, shall persist."
Anonymous
January 2nd, 2016 6:22am
I talk myself through them out loud, and I find that to be helpful. For example, all of my panic attacks are in response to spiders, so I list off all the things I can think of that make spiders not as scary as my brain seems to think they are. Talking will also force you to focus and stabilize your breathing, and in my experience it seems to reduce the chance of hyperventilating.
Remember these two things -- the panic attack is not your fault and it will only last a few minutes. Even if you can't manage to make yourself calm down, the intense fear and physical symptoms you're feeling are very temporary.
Different ways of calming down vary between different people and it's important that you find a solution that helps you as an individual. What is important to first find out is what is causing you to have a panic attack if you find the source you can possibly try and avoid those situations or places or be better prepared and get some professional help with what gives you panic attacks. .
there are many ways
1) breathing techniques
2)using imagination
3)calming music
4)Talking to someone
Anonymous
January 3rd, 2016 11:38pm
Slow, deep breaths. try to breathe with your abdomen instead of your lungs. If that doesn't work try opening up a video on youtube that describes muscle relaxation.
Anonymous
January 6th, 2016 12:56am
You need to sit down, breathe, and not think ad hard as you can. But something that really would help is someone you love or trust hold you're hands and breathe with you to help you flam down.
There's a lot of ways but here's one grounding technique I use. List five things you can see, four things you can feel/touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing that makes you happy.
Focus on what's going on around you in the physical world right at that moment. Focus on your breathing or your toes. Focusing on the little things right now helps get your mind off whatever's bugging you. Focus on those things instead of "fighting the panic attack" because that just makes you think about the panic attack which makes it worse.
Breathe. Try to think about something else. Its not always easy. If someone you trust is around or get on here and talk to someone.
When I am having a panic attack, I bring myself to a quiet place when I can be alone, close my eyes, and take slow deep breaths until I am able to calm down. Once I have calmed down a bit, I drink water.
Count backwards from thirty while breathing slowly and imagining you are lying on soft sand near an ocean, where the warm water barely touches your feet, and rises slowly to touch your shoulders and go back down.
Anonymous
January 7th, 2016 7:49am
If you focus on your breathing in and out it slows it down. if you count 10 in 8 out. in through the nose out through the mouth.
I find the best way to get out of a panic attack is to find some distraction. Start a conversation with someone....watch a funny movie....anything to get out of my head.
go outside in fresh air, put one hand on your chest and on hand on your stomach and feel your stomach breathing out before your chest hold your breath for 6 seconds and breath out and continue to do so untill youre carm
Anonymous
January 7th, 2016 8:02pm
Take large deep breathes. Focus on something around you. Or try to think of a happy memory and focus on that moment.
Anonymous
January 8th, 2016 5:27am
Trying closing your eyes and breathing for 5 seconds and out for 7 seconds, repeat for as long as necessary. If breathing doesn't help, trying drawing circles and watch as you make the circles and how they connect.
Anonymous
January 8th, 2016 8:02pm
Breathe. That's the best thing you can do in the moment. Breathe in 3 seconds, hold 3 seconds, and let it out for 3 seconds.
Try to breath-in trough your nose and breath-out trough your mouth. Breath against your stomach like you want to push your belly out. You might want to hold a hand on your belly and breath against it. Do this in a calm way whenever you feel like anxiety or panic is rising inside of you. You can to this pretty much everywhere and always even without people noticing. Try to breath calculated and slowly. With a bit of exercise this is a really good help.
Deep breaths and water are usually the best and fastest ways to calm down. Understanding what is happening and why is also important. Sometimes, when your body is reacting in such an intense way, it can freak itself out and become more intense than needed.
Personally, I took a step away from everything, and got some fresh air to calm down. If you are unable to take a step away, just take a seat and try to relax, although I know it is tough.
Inhale. Count to four. Exhale. Count to four. Inhale. Count to four. Exhale. Count to four. Rinse and repeat.
Mindfulness exercises are fantastic for calming down. I like to close my eyes, and focus on the chair I am sitting in. What does it feel like? How am I sitting? I try to listen to the sounds around me. What can I hear? What is the loudest? I try to feel the things around me. Am I holding something? What texture is it? By focusing in on the senses it's easy to calm down and come back to yourself.
Focus on an object in the room, block out everything else once everything is blocked out close your eyes take a deep breath in and slowly count back from 10 focusing on your breathing when you reach 1 take one final deep breath in open your eyes and refocus
What really helped me to calm during a panic attack was to learn how to properly breath while panicking. I learned to inhale very deep via my stomach, and exhale slowly through my nose. Even if the breathing itself isn't going that well, the shift of focus from panic to breathing can really help to calm down!
By accepting the asttack as something that's happening and not fighting it. By realising that this is a temporary state that will end, even when it seems that's impossible. I thought this was crazy when I first heard it, but it does work. Also, focusing , if you can, on something else and trying to see the attack as something that's insignificant and to ignore. I had to go through the worst attacks I'd ever had to realise all of this. Also, tell people close to you about your problem, ask for hell if you feel you need it. Its stronger to admit to needing some help than it is to try to keep everything to yourself.
Try breathing exercises. When you feel the onset of a panic attack, try breathing inwards, until your lungs are full of oxygen and then breathe out slowly, until you empty your lungs. Hopefully this will prevent the full panic attack from happening. It's best doing the breathing exercise while laying down.
Anonymous
January 29th, 2016 5:35am
try focusing on your breathing and emptying your mind if possible. i find it useful to tell myself that the things aren't real, that the fear only exists in my head
Each panic attack for each person differs, that is something I have come to find out. What works for me is seperating myself from social triggers the best I can, my attacks occur usually in crowds or friends, and repeat,"I'm okay, I'm not broken" and focus on breathing slowly and calmly. While that is easier said that done, it is what I try for; if that isn't working I have a network of contact I can reach out to with a code phrase that they know why I will be calling them. They reassure me I am okay and not broken until I can relax. That is what I offer.
Personally what I have to do is close my eyes really tight, breathe through only my nose, and curl up on the floor. It works a charm, though isn't preferable in social situations!
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