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How can I prevent panic attack?

17 Answers
Last Updated: 08/16/2021 at 2:32am
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
Moderated by

Jill Kapil, PsyD

Psychologist

I have over 9 years of clinical experience, specialize in anxiety, and am passionate about my work. My approach is collaborative, empathic, supportive, and goal-oriented.

Top Rated Answers
Anonymous
July 14th, 2015 2:41pm
When you feel like your about to have a a panic attack you can try a grounding exercise it goes like this Look around and find 5 things that you can see, then try to find 4 things you can touch, then 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste. This would you distract you from your previous thoughts and might calm you down.....
EllaLoves
February 8th, 2016 3:40am
Panic attacks can come at any time and it is best to know the facts, and know your triggers, if you take rescue medication take it when you need it, avoid triggers, and do not drive when you are having one. Remember to breathe, it will pass!
sourpatchsnail
August 16th, 2021 2:32am
Hi there! Panic attacks can be hard, but there are a few ways to help calm down. One way that's really common is meditation. It's not for everyone, but it's also not as uncomfortable as it sounds. My first time meditating was a highschool health class. My teacher (who was fantastic) let us pull hoodies over our heads and lay on the floor with our eyes closed. She played us a guided meditation she found on youtube that had soothing visuals, music, and a soft voice that gently asked us to breathe in time with his counting. It was genuinely very therapeutic, but obviously not very ideal in most public settings. The calm app is a great resource if you would still like to try. It has guided meditations, soothing stories, breathing exercises, etc. and it's super easy to simply pop in an earbud wherever you go. If meditation isn't your thing, no worries, as there a plenty of other options! No matter where you are, monitoring your breathing is really easy to do even without a guide. My personal favorite would be the 4-7-8 technique. Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 7, and slowly exhale for 8. If you need to remove yourself from a situation, that is also often an option. Simply excuse yourself and find a quiet area to steady yourself and get away from the over stimulative environment, or use some headphones to drown out the noise. A quick but harder to obtain mechanism is holding an ice cube. You may want to use fabric or a towel to separate it from your skin so that you don't get freezer-burn, but holding ice in your hand can often shock your system enough to bring you back down. Best of wishes!
strangeangels
September 8th, 2020 10:37am
Determine what is causing your panic attacks. You're likely anticipating a stressful event based on either past stressful events and compulsively worrying about it. To prevent panic attacks you have to ground yourself in the present and not try to anticipate the future. Bring things to fidget with, strong mints or gum, identify objects around you, or do anything else that uses your senses to put your focus on the here and now. Remind yourself that you are safe in the present. Get in the habit of giving yourself a set amount of time for preparing for stressful events ie school presentation, a plane trip, ect then afterwards don't keep thinking about it and worrying. You prepared, now whatever happens will happen. If all else fails, I recommend seeking a doctor because anti anxiety medication can be life changing. Good luck to you.
Elvalight
November 5th, 2019 3:17am
The first step is to realize that it's ok to have a panic attack! A panic attack is a conditioned response to stressful situations, and most of the time the attack itself is the stress you worry about. If you remove the worry about the attack, you remove the stress that causes the attack in the first place, as the fear is what is causing it. Of course, a wonderful way to help prevent one is to find ways to calm down when you're having one; it helps a ton if you have a sense of control during the attack, as they can make you feel completely powerless. Practice breathing exercises. You've probably heard that, but they really work. I remember my dad used to take me on walks at night and, since I couldn't run to my room to panic, all I could do was walk and trust him as he told me to breathe deeply, that I'd be ok and make it home alive. Look at things around you. Find 10 red things, 10 blue thing, etc. Sounds simple but it's a very effective method of distraction to turn your mind away from panic. You physically cannot focus on two things at once. A similar method is to focus on sensations such as the feeling of the ground beneath your feet, smells, sounds nearby and any other sensations of your clothes and whatnot. Feel the heat, the cold, everything you can. You'll be just fine; I've had hundreds and haven't died! Always remember that it's only a panic attack, and you will always survive.
Anonymous
July 16th, 2019 1:58am
Normally, panic attacks just happen and you don't even realize it at first. A good thing to do when you have a panic attack is to take slow, deep breaths and keep yourself grounded. Remember that this feeling is temporary and that you are more than the problems you have. As a human being, you can bounce back from so many things. If you continue panicking, the 7 cups Anxiety guide is an extremely helpful tool for alleviating anxiety. Remember that you are more than your panic attacks and you can get through this. You are a bad ass.
Anonymous
January 23rd, 2018 11:27pm
It’s different for every person. First, step away from what is making you panic, if you know what it is. Find a comfortable space. Take deep breaths. This is the most important step. Make sure your breathing is equal and slow.
DaveMcGrath
November 14th, 2017 1:34am
I use meditation to center myself, reduce my anxiety, and then refocus my energies towards moving forward in my day. Key to this is centering myself by reducing the outside stimuli of my world down to a smaller part of it. I do this by focusing on a single point and closing out all the distractions.
suspiciouslookingcactus
July 24th, 2017 8:32pm
When trying to prevent panic attacks, it's important to identify your triggers. It is also really helpful to understand why your body feels how it feels. For example, if during a panic attack you feel nauseous or your stomach hurts, that's because your body is in a fight or flight mode and it shuts down your digestion because it wants to devote all of your energy into either fighting or fleeing. You should do some research about all of your symptoms. Once you know why you feel the way you feel, it'll become less scary and a lot more easy to manage your panic attacks. Hope this helps!
intelligentPalm37
June 28th, 2016 10:05pm
Take few deep breaths in and out. Pretend you are breathing in sunshine and happiness and exhale sadness.
Tgump
March 31st, 2015 3:22am
There's no surefire way to prevent panic attacks, but there are many ways to recognize the signs & symptoms of a panic attack coming on, so you can react to it as quickly as possible. Sometimes simply controlling your breathing and reminding yourself "I am having a panic attack, and it will pass" can make all the difference.
SoftBlanket40
January 4th, 2016 3:34pm
One thing I do when I feel a panic attack approaching, is I find a peaceful corner where I can sit by myself, and I try to really focus on my breathing. I also try to do my best not to panick, convincing myself that all that I'm feeling is not life-threatening, and that it will pass. That tends to calm me down :)
Beastlyenough
November 23rd, 2015 8:55pm
By meditating daily. And telling yourself that you are stronger than whatever is to come!and also by trying to keep a positive outlook towards life!
Greatlistener87
November 18th, 2015 5:54am
Panic attacks are caused by triggers, if you can stay away from the triggers you can avoid the attacks. But the best thing is to find out why you have this triggers and panic attacks and deal with them.
Anonymous
May 28th, 2015 4:36am
There are many ways of preventing a panic attack, but what works for one person may not work for another, you are best to speak to your doctor about this to come up with a list of thing's you can try. If one does not work, do not lose faith there are many other ways of preventing a panic attack.
KaylaWright1125
May 8th, 2015 3:17pm
Relax and take deep breaths when you feel one coming on. Focus on something different that takes your mind off it, maybe listen to music, play a game, or whatever makes you feel better. Get plenty of sleep and try not to be stressed.
heyfrenchie
April 7th, 2015 4:04pm
Take a deep breath. Put yourself in a comfortable environment. Understand that it's okay to feel upset sometimes. Tell yourself that you are strong, and don't let yourself become embarrassed or worried about experiencing the anxiety. The only thing that should be of concern to you in that moment is your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Remember that all you can do is grow. You're the gardener of your life.