Skip to main content Skip to bottom nav

How do paper bags help with panic attacks?

106 Answers
Last Updated: 03/23/2024 at 7:15pm
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
Moderated by

Penny Dahlen, Ed.D., LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

I am committed to helping you find your passion, heal old wounds, and flow smoother in all aspects of your life path! I use a compassionate listening approach.

Top Rated Answers
SilentSerenityy
December 11th, 2015 5:49pm
They increase the amount of carbon dioxide you inhale and reduce the amount of oxygen which causes a calming effect.
Lanapleurodon
December 11th, 2015 8:57pm
Well traditionally breathing into a paper bag was used as a way of dealing with the short term symptoms of panic attacks. When you hyperventilate you need more carbon dioxide (CO2) to normalise the levels in your blood. However more recent research shows that breathing into a paper bag creates a sharp increase in CO2 that causes MORE panic attacks. Bad news! A more recent approach to hyperventilating is to focus on measured breathing and attempt to lengthen and slow breathing without the aid of a bag. This helps to reduce the panic attack, and also increases the CO2 in your blood but at a much healthier rate. It also avoids the problems of too little Oxygen in the blood caused by breathing into a bag. So really the answer is, modern science says it doesn't really help much, and it isn't very safe.
NancyAliceUK
December 12th, 2015 11:09pm
When you have a panic attack, a lot of people breathe too quickly, taking short, sharp breaths. This can make you feel really light-headed and woozy. Breathing into a paper bag makes you 'recycle' your breath so you aren't taking in so much oxygen, which will help you feel less light-headed.
serenePeace89
December 13th, 2015 12:49am
Paper bags create a controlled volume of air for a person to breathe in and you are essentially inhaling your own CO2 because sometimes when you become too overwhelmed and can't breathe properly, you inhale too much oxygen, so this forces the amount you take in to be decreased and helps get you back to a normal rate of intake.
thatgirl1269
December 13th, 2015 10:40pm
This is a myth.. it's supposed to stop your hyperventilating but recent studies have shown this not to be the case. It's better if you learn to use controlled breathing to bring your panic under control. Search for "breathing techniques for anxiety" and you will be able to find a whole load of 'stuff' to help you.
Becca13
December 13th, 2015 11:48pm
With panic attacks, you often start to breathe extremely rapid, which feeds your panic attack. Breathing in a paper bag allows you to slow your breathing down and calm down by doing that. It won't make the whole problem go away, but it does help a big deal!
globaldu72
December 16th, 2015 11:01am
You can only inflate/deflate a paper bag so much before you need to inhale or exhale, so it helps you control your breathing by taking larger breaths than you would without it. Short, shallow breaths may increase your anxiety so it just helps you take deeper breaths, which is good.
Anonymous
December 18th, 2015 1:02am
They help you to take deep, long breaths and steady your breathing pattern as anxiety can cause hyperventilation that can restrict your CO2 levels and overflow your oxygen levels. In result your body is getting to much oxygen and can't use it efficiently, which can lead to symptoms such as .dry mouth .chest pains .weakness .dizziness .giddiness .heart palpations.
KhadijaS
December 19th, 2015 10:03am
When we hyperventilate, the rapid breathing causes us to lose Carbon Dioxide at a faster rate. This makes our brains start to "freak out" and continue hyperventilating, which can make us light-headed, dizzy, and fog our thinking. A panic attack is a cascade of events, like a line of dominoes falling down. It can be really hard to keep our heads clear during a panic attack, but if you can find a paper bag, breathe a few times into one. What this does is recirculate our exhaled Carbon Dioxide back into our lungs and blood streams. The brain gets to pause after realizing everything is going to be just fine. This can help stop a panic attack from accelerating, and gives us time to restore control.
Anonymous
December 20th, 2015 4:19pm
They help you to steady your breath they help you to concentrate on the breathing and calm it so that your heart rate will settle it works as a distraction you start paying attention to the bag rather then the reason your panicking
Icarusmighty
December 22nd, 2015 6:03am
When you breathe into them it forces you to control your breathing by limiting air intake thus preventing hyperventilating
SpookyBlue
December 23rd, 2015 7:15pm
When you have a panic attack, your fight or flight response is activated. The fight or flight response is a part of your Sympathetic Nervous System. This response causes your body to undergo physical changes, as it prepares you to face what it deems to be a threat. Hormones shoot throughout your body and you begin to take fast and shallow breaths. This is because your body is trying to get as much oxygen to your muscles as possible. This is also known as hyperventilation. When you hyperventilate during a panic attack, you-- to put it one way-- overdose on oxygen. This causes you to feel lightheaded, can make you feel as if you are in a dream, and can cause tingling in your limbs or face. Breathing into a paper bad helps combat this by balancing out your oxygen intake. When you breathe in from a paper bag, you are breathing in more carbon dioxide. This helps stop the fight or flight response symptoms.
MichelleH
December 24th, 2015 9:03pm
Well, I don't think it helps directly with the panic attack, but rather prevents a person from hyperventilating or "overbreathing". I used to use them when I was little and getting nervous before dance recitals.
StormyAngles18
December 25th, 2015 8:22pm
Paper bags do not help you with panic attacks they don't help you at all there is no benfit from them.
AllNaturalSoul
December 26th, 2015 4:45pm
They reduce the amount of oxygen in your blood, when you breathe out, you bring carbon dioxide and oxygen into the bag, and when you breath in, you will take in same breath you just released. This air will have less oxygen in it and thus your blood will take up less oxygen. Panic attacks are often caused by an overflow of oxygen in the brain and thus breathing in a bag helps.
highopes
December 30th, 2015 11:19am
it helps you breath more witch helps the air entering your brain witch helps by calming you down and makes you think clearly
Anonymous
December 30th, 2015 9:39pm
By reducing the amount of oxygen into your brain, the amount of spiraling thoughts can be reduced. I have not tried it personally, but I have heard it helps!
listeningturtle18
December 31st, 2015 5:17pm
The paper bags help slow your breathing down, which helps you feel more relaxed when dealing with the situation.
AD20
January 1st, 2016 8:26am
They say it helps you with hyperventilating. That the air flow of it should calm you down. That the way you are breathing in and out of the paper bag should help your heart rate slow down.
Anonymous
January 2nd, 2016 6:05am
One of the symptoms of panic attacks is rapid breathing, which can lead to hyperventilation if left unchecked. Breathing into a paper bag limits the amount of air you can take in, reducing the chance of hyperventilation.
Anonymous
January 2nd, 2016 10:51pm
Paper bags help control breathing and hyperventilating. They re a source for advanced in control & technical breathing skills.
CharmingEmily99
January 3rd, 2016 5:08am
Paper bags cause you to intake a certain amount of the carbon dioxide that you breath out, the paper bag traps this air and helps you calm your breathing.
Anonymous
January 6th, 2016 2:34am
They can help control hyperventilation when you repeatedly breathe into them. They don't work for everyone though.
StarryEyed
January 6th, 2016 11:47pm
When you are having a panic attack, you can begin to hyperventilate. This causes a low level of carbon dioxide in the blood, which can add to everything already happening. By breathing into a bag, you are able to raise your CO2 levels in your blood and feel better very quickly.
TheForce19
January 6th, 2016 11:58pm
A paper bags helps regulate by regulating and increasing the carbon dioxide levels in the blood. Therefore, getting the oxygen to be able to breathe.
Anonymous
January 7th, 2016 7:20am
Paper bags help with panic attacks because the amount of breath you can fit into the bag helps you focuse on your breathing.
Anonymous
January 8th, 2016 10:57am
Breathing into a paper bag requires concentration and helps a person to take note of their breathing, which helps regulate the respiratory rate that is disturbed by panic attacks. Though this may work for some, it is not recommended because it can cause a lack of oxygen in the brain and loss of consciousness. If you use a paper bag to help with your panic attacks, keep track of your breaths. Do not breathe more than 10 times into a paper bag before taking a deep breath away from the bag.
Amanda0722
January 8th, 2016 1:33pm
Using a paper bag during a panic attack is only beneficial to some. It is like a reminder to keeping breathing- in and out in and out. However for more extreme panic attacks, it doesn't always help.
BrandonM219
January 8th, 2016 6:41pm
Breathing into a paper bag helps to slow your breathing. When you are able to control your breathing, it's what your currently concentrating on and that helps to alleviate the panic attack.
Anonymous
January 8th, 2016 11:42pm
When you have a panic attack, you may experience shortness of breath which in it's turn can cause dizziness. This occurs due to inhaling too much oxyge . If you breathe in a paper bag, the bag will be filled with carbon dioxide which is exhaled. That hinders the dizziness during a panic attack