Ten Tools That Help Relieve Panic Attacks
How can coping tools help relieve panic attacks? Especially since most panic attacks feel like they come out of the blue, even though there is usually a trigger. The trigger is that you are scared of panic attacks. And why wouldn't you be? They are one of the most uncomfortable experiences on this planet. Having a list of tools can help reduce the number of panic attacks you experience and help you feel less afraid of the panic coming.
10 Coping Tools for Panic Attack Relief
These coping tools will help you avoid panic attacks in the first place. Some of them you should do every day as part of good self-care. Others will help when you enter new situations or relationships. Put them all in your anti-anxiety toolkit and feel more in control.
1. Have an exit plan. Sometimes knowing we have a plan to leave a situation helps us not be so afraid of trying something new. For example, know you can excuse yourself, you can have your own car to drive home, or you have a friend to support you can make all the difference. We are often scared to get anxiety and not be able to do anything about it. We are afraid of being out of control. Making a plan will make you feel more in control and this counters the anxiety.
2. Have someone you can count on ready to call. In fact, have several, in case the one is busy. Someone who knows about the anxiety and can tell you you are okay, or even better--someone who can make you laugh.
3. Spend time with your pet. Animals tend to ease anxiety. So spend as much time with a friendly animal as you can. Here are some animal activities to enjoy: keeping a pet, bird watching, going to an aquarium, etc. (Animal Therapy: Easing Anxiety With An Animal)
4. Interact with water. There is something about water that stops the energy of panic. Sometimes crying releases it (tears). However, consider taking a hot bath or shower for immediate relief. Also drinking hot soup or a hot drink (non-caffeinated) can help.
5. Have a tranquilizer with you. Knowing you have anti-anxiety medication to calm you down within 15 minutes can help you not be afraid of anxiety. Again, we are afraid of being out of control of our anxiety so just knowing you have the medicine is all you need (With Anxiety, You Do Have Control). Panic needs you to be scared of it for it to stay.
6. Give yourself a massage or have your loved one give you one. This really calms the nerves and calls our attention back out of the anxious mind and into the body.
7. Forward bend. Like a fetal position, any forward bend in yoga counters anxiety. You can get in child's position (see photo).
8. Stare at yourself in the mirror. This is called tratak meditation. It helps build trust in yourself. Do this when you are calm to prevent anxiety and panic.
9. Go for a walk. Get a change of scenery and use up some of that excess energy. The biology of fear indicates the release of adrenaline makes your body want to do something. Doing something and feeling a sense of control on the account of that activity is by far the best thing you can do for a panic attack.
10. Laugh. Watch some funny videos on YouTube. Laughter and anxiety cannot live in the same moment together!
What did I forget? What's worked for you?
I blog here: Heal Now and Forever Be In Peace
and here: Anxiety-Schmanxiety Blog,
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APA Reference
Lobozzo, J.
(2012, May 2). Ten Tools That Help Relieve Panic Attacks, HealthyPlace. Retrieved
on 2024, April 27 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/anxiety-schmanxiety/2012/05/ten-things-to-do-for-a-panic-attack
Author: Jodi Lobozzo Aman, LCSW-R
Wonderful! I'm glad you found some useful information. Good luck with your presentation.
Hello. I have had severe anxiety and panic attacks since I was 15 years old. I am now 35 and I still get them. I used to get them on a daily basis and not be able to control them. They used to make me literally fall start shaking to wear it winds up becoming a seizure with tingling and seeing the room spin and then becoming very dark then my body becoming stiff to the point I would lose all feeling throughout my body not being able to move hyperventilating to the pointof not being able to breathe and I have stopped breathing many times. Over the years I have learned different methods of controlling my anxiety. Some are facing a mirror and yelling at it at the top of your lungs, sitting against a walk and counting backwards, sitting in a hot bath depending on if it isn't to severe, rocking in a fetal position, singing a song that describes who you are and how you feel, reading a book, writing how you feel, dancing, I have even gotten a punching bag to take it out on, walking, running, driving is not a good thing for me, talking with people who make you smile and happy, remembering good memories, focusing on objects that appear close but are far, coloring and all kinds of stuff. I have almost died 17 times do to my anxiety and panic attacks. I have been through therapy to help me with them. I still have them but not as much as I did as a teenager. The last time I suffered a severe anxiety attack was on January 5, 2013. I wasn't feeling good decided to walk and got my phone out called for an ambulance collapsed in a neighbors driveway and a passer in a car stopped and called the police I was told and performed CPR on me because I stopped breathing and had suffered a stroke on top of a severe anxiety attack along with having copd asthma and bronchitis at the time. There is many things that work and some things that don't. I am living proof that it doesn't hurt to try things and that you can survive it.
Marcia, your story is inspiring. You persevered through severe panic attacks for a very long time, and you found the strength to seek help and explore your own ways to reduce the power of your panic attacks. Thank you for sharing this. I think it will inspire many to hang in there and keep trying. You're proof that overcoming panic is possible.
I have read these posts and suffered through similar panic attacks for many, many years.
Eventually the last few years, when the "aura" comes that I know is a panic attack-very different than anxiety, I say to myself...
THIS IS A PANIC ATTACK, YOU ARE OKAY and so forth.
Since doing this for past few years, I have had very few panic attacks, maybe ten in past 18 months, when I used to have them once a week and lasting for 10-15 mins. Now they last for no more than five and are lessening even more recently.
Hope this helps. The attacks truly are unbelievable in their physiological symptoms. I understand.
It is wonderful to hear that you found something so successful to decrease your panic attacks, Nancy. It's a very effective technique. Thank you for sharing it here for others.
I've had panic attacks since I was 13 I'm 28 now they have been on and off come and go for years well here recently they have came back 10x worse my chest on the right side has started to get tight I've been throwing up a lot more with them now I stay up all hours of the night bc I'm scared to go to sleep anyone that can give me some advice please help I'm a mother of two and I'm sick of these things I outside and talk to god but it seems not to be doing any good
Have you consulted with a physician? Given that your panic attack symptoms seem to be changing, having a medical check-up might be helpful. It's good that you are noticing when they are at their worst and what the symptoms are. When you are aware of what happens for you and when it happens, you can use the information to help build a plan. What symptoms are the worst for you? Experiment with things that make those symptoms better. Thinking about when they happen can be helpful in overcoming them, too. What are you doing when the attacks begin? Are you worrying a lot at night, for example? What are the worries? And what things can you do to calm your mind before bed? Your self-awareness is an excellent starting point for reducing the panic.
I used to be afraid to go to bed for fear of waking up with anxiety attacks. I now take clonazepam before bed and sleep with my headphones on, music has helped me a lot. Clonazepam has been a life saver for me. If I have to stay on it long term, I'm fine with that, it doesn't make me any less of a person. I feel your pain.
Hi, I have suffered with panic attacks since I was 16, now being 34 I still suffer but a lot less due to medication. I was placed on cipralex for 10 years which caused high anxiety- they have now stopped it and put me on serdep. I really am considering stopping all the medication and seeing how I feel with no meds. They have diagnosed mine as a chemical imbalance which runs in the family. Anyone have any advice on stopping all meds.
Medication has different effects on different individuals. Some people do well with medication, others don't have a great deal of success. And there are so many different types out there; what works for one person doesn't always work for another. When medication is involved, it is very important to work with a doctor you trust. If you do want to stop meds (and this should be decided with a doctor), it can be very dangerous to just stop. Most need to be tapered gradually. Claire, I encourage to work with your doctor to find the most effective and the safest course of action for you.
Hi mates, its impressive piece of writing on the topic of tutoringand
entirely explained, keep it up all the time.
Hello Rochelle,
Jodi wrote this wonderful piece. She is no longer writing for HealthyPlace, so she's unable to respond to comments. At HealthyPlace, we all strive to make this a helpful and welcoming place. Hopefully you will continue to visit!
You, we are SOOOOOO much bigger than this false and exaggerated fear response but WE need to take charge of our lives and not the other way around. The latter is what got us here to begin with.
Our fear (fight to flight) response is out of whack and can be fixed and the so this is temporary. However the feeling we feel is real.
The psychological response to a panic attack is death however this is FALSE!!!! Your mind is playing tricks on you and you, yes you, are in control of your mind.
See a doctor to rule out a physical problem that is causing the exaggerated response.
There is a HUGE difference between feeling fear and actual danger. There is no danger and the fear is fake. Tell your self this.
YOU ARE NOT IN DANGER. YOUR MIND IS PLAYING TRICKS ON YOU AND IT WILL PASS.
Put a rubber band on your wrist and snap it.
SLOOOW down your breathing. We hyperventilate which makes us feel worse. Breath in sloooooowly through the nose and exhale sloooowly through pursed lips like you are blowing out a candle. As your oxygen levels balance, you will feel better.
COUGH COUGH COUGH!! This can help heart rates slow down to normal levels and rhythms.
Sloooow down your life and rest. Your stress hormone levels are at abnormally high levels usually after sustained stress so it takes time for them to come down to normal levels. Exercise CAN make it worse so be careful.
Drink ice water.
Tell yourself you are stronger than your fear and that there is NO danger and that this will pass.
You can overcome anxiety and panic attacks. I am PROOF!!
However your control of stress triggers, which you may be overly sensitive to because of your caring personality, can be enhanced by taking stress management classes and biofeedback classes.
Stress is caused by our psychological response to stressors, those positive and negative triggers than cause stress. We have unhealthy stress and panic attacks because we HAVE NOT controlled our responses to stress in healthy ways and now our stress hormones and fear response are out of whack.
Improving your response to stress which is very learnable will help keep your stress at manageable not unmanageable levels where they are now.
A trigger only becomes stress when WE LET IT. Our thoughts can become our worst enemy. There actually is very very little in the world that would warrant this exaggerated level of fear. Is a rhino really charging us? Why do we react to silly things in such an exaggerated way? However we all face life's challenges differently and some REALLY are stressful and there are times when we have to deal with the real unpleasant things in our lives. But if our high stress levels go on at too high a level for too long a period of time, then we are putting ourselves at undue risk for a string of ailments and one of them is panic attacks. And if you are an empath like I am and overly compassionate and sensitive to emotional triggers then you are REALLY susceptible to anxiety disorders.
Take charge of your life. Take charge of your response to stress. Learn that your mind is playing trick on you and you will be able to keep stress at MANAGEABLE levels. But like any skill you must practice practice practice.
Be well and live a life you are worthy of!!!
Hello Evelyn,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your insights. It seems like you've worked hard to overcome stress and anxiety and to live a life you're worthy of. You mention very effective techniques -- and the fact that they've been effective for you indicates that they can indeed be helpful. Each individual will find things that are more effective or less effective depending on his/her personal situation, personality, etc., but these strategies you mention are good ones for people to try. Thanks for sharing, and I think these will be helpful to many here.
I Ne'er tried it although they said it will help Maine. When I “wake up” and can start thinking again, I do try to breathe out like if i was blowing candles that are very far. I don’t know if it’s a good technique, but I just do it without believing.
Hi Nanos,
How wonderful that you have found a technique that is helpful for you as you calm your thoughts/quiet your mind. As long as something is safe, there's no such thing as a "good" technique or a "bad" one. Everyone is different. The key is to find what works for you. Thanks for sharing your technique!
I was searching for this. Really refreshing information. Many
thanks.
Hi Brigida,
I'm so glad that you found this information. Jodi is the one who wrote this article, but as she is no longer writing for HealthyPlace, she is unable to respond to comments. I'm Tanya, one of the current authors of the column. I just wanted to thank you for your comment and say that we hope you visit HealthyPlace often and find more helpful information.
Many thanks for taking the time to discuss this, It is extremely useful for
me.
Hi there,
Jodi is the one who wrote this very helpful article. She is no longer writing for HealthyPlace, so she's unable to respond to comments. I know she'd be glad that you found it useful. I hope you come back to HealthyPlace often and find more useful information.
Thank you for sharing. I am impressed with your website.
I'll publish this to my facebook wall.
Hi Tommy,
I'm glad you found HealthyPlace and Anxiety-Schmanxiety. Thank you so much for putting the info on your Facebook wall to help spread the word. Jodi is the one who wrote this article, but because she is no longer writing for Healthy Place, she's unable to respond to comments. I know she would be very happy to know that you liked it. (And I'm Tanya, by the way, one of the current writers of Anxiety-Schmanxiety.)
Hello there!
I recently started to have something like panic attacks. I'm not sure what to do even though I'm a medical student. Everything seems to be stupid right in the moment when I feel all this. Like I try to watch a funny video, then I would stop after few seconds and go deeper in panic. This is the same with breathing or telling myself it's okay.
I feel paralysed and that I cannot move on from the problem. Sometimes I burst into crying and I can't seem to stop it.
I found that doing yoga in the mornings helps me to start a more balanced day but it does not prevent a panic feeling when something unexpected happens. I like to do creative things, like bracelets or watch a TV show while I do it - so it will distract me, but I don't want to be distracted in general all the time, I want to be able to live in the present and be okay about it.
I am going through a major change in my life ( religion, moving away...) and although I really want those things, they sometimes make me feel I'm rootless, or I'm alone. Can this thing come from this?
Please if you have any thoughts, share - I don't want to live my life in fear!
Hi Sara,
It's great that you have found some things (like yoga, distracting yourself with creative activities, etc.) to help you, but I understand what you are saying -- you don't want a band-aid but instead want to feel healed so you can fully live your life. And of course you don't want to constantly be in fear. The good news is that you can get past this frustrating time; anxiety doesn't have to plague you your whole life. I was struck by a thought in reading your comment, but first I must make the disclaimer that I only know the tiniest bit about you from your comment, and I definitely can't make any sort of diagnosis. Instead, I'll share my though for you to look into and consider or dismiss. In answer to your question, yes, your panic, anxiety, crying spells, etc. can most definitely come from the major changes in your life. These are features of an adjustment disorder, or if not a full-blown disorder, then adjustment difficulties. The changes you mentioned are significant, and even when changes are positive because we want them to happen, they can still wreak havoc on our mental health. There are things you can do for adjustment issues, and with patience, time, and implementation of some strategies, your symptoms will recede. Check into adjustment disorders and see if you think anything applies. Good luck to you in all that you are doing!
I have been suffering from panic attacks for several years, I first started feeling like I was burning up from the inside out. I drink ice water to combat that feeling. I have more attack if I have something physically wrong like a cold, or stomach flu anything I panic it is something worse. I also have more when the Dr. gives me new medications or changes something. I have had my husband call 911 more than I care to say, I feel so foolish when they pass, and I have bothered everyone in the process, I usually wake up with them in the middle of the night and have to get my husband up (sometimes hes not too happy with that), but I really dont know what else to do. Thank you so much for this blog, I think I will try some of the things on the list. Some relief is better than nothing..
Hi Cheryl,
I'm glad that you've found Jodi's article and HealthyPlace in general. In this article, she did offer insights that can be quite helpful. Panic attacks are real, and they feel awful. You're not alone in this experience. You most certainly aren't doomed to experience them forever. Do try the things on the list you think you might find helpful. Often, working with a therapist is extremely helpful. And yes, some relief is indeed better than nothing, especially because you can build on it -- some becomes more and more. I hope you continue to visit HealthyPlace and Anxiety-Schmanxiety and find more useful information.
I'm a keen letter writer, and would like to know if there is in any case of creating a letter writing community as a result of this. Creative letter writers writing to creative letter writers the planet over.
Hi Gary,
I appreciate your wanting to connect with others here. Connections are powerful! Unfortunately, HealthyPlace cannot share things such as personal addresses, phone numbers, etc. for safety reasons. I do welcome you to our community and hope you exchange comments here. It's not quite the same as letter writing, I know, but it could be a close second.
Hi guys im new here i have questions about my panic attacks as they are scary enough as is but ive have them for a couple years now im 30 and i used to smoke crack from age 22 to about 24 not super heavy but moderately on a daily basis ive been clean for 6 years now but was wandering if the drug abuse from then is the cause of my attacks or if my attacks are my bodys way of warning me that id damaged it even though i cant tell but perhaps long term damage that hasnt reared its ugly head yet and my body is freaking out trying to tell me somethings wrong ive been having them for 3 years but have been clean for 6 could these be related somehow should i be worried or is all these worries just my attacks found a way to fuel themselves im really scared
Hi Sandra,
I'm glad you found HealthyPlace and the Anxiety-Schmanxiety community. People interact with each other and respond to comments, and I hope that you will receive helpful insights from others in yoru position. I think that it is possible that substance use contributed to anxiety/panic, but it's also possible that you are experiencing great worry about it that is leading to the anxiety and panic. Have you visited a doctor about this? A thorough physical exam and a discussion about what the physical effects of crack can and can't be might go far in alleviating your fears. You can then rule out the source of difficulties or identify the source and then be able to take action to heal. In the meantime, it's a great idea to start to take charge of your panic attacks by learning information and talking to others. You are on the right track.
I had seen a psychiatrist but i did not tell her about the drug abuse just the attacks i was she would take my kids even though d been clean for years the drugs were done before even having my children but still a fear in my mind i also just got informed by someone that it could even be caused from the head traumas i sufffered as a child 3 different occassions where stitches were required they said the trauma may have caused frontal lobe epilepsy where im having seizures the symtoms i have match perfect especially the electric shocks in my head and blankly staring while having an attack and occasionally my arms go numb with the attacks do these things happen in normal panic attacks too or did i just find the answer i was looking for should i see a neurologist now instead
Hello again Sandra,
Based on what you've written, I definitely think that a visit to a doctor (general to begin with, or directly to a neurologist or even psychiatrist) would be a good idea. You might find the underlying cause and then be able to address it, or you might be able to rule things out and find a new starting point. Either way, it would be wise to look into it. I am not familiar with laws/child protection, but I do think that since you've been clean for a number of years, mentioning your past drug use (which is important to get to the bottom of things) won't be held against you. You can check with others who are more knowledgeable in the law just to be sure. And don't be ashamed. You're far from the only person who has used drugs. There are many reasons people do, and it has absolutely nothing to do with being a "good" or a "bad" person. You want to move forward and feel better. Don't feel ashamed!
I'm in my middle 30's and I get extreme panic attacks at night mostly. Arms, face and hands go numb, cheady pain and rapid breathing. I've been to ER a few times and now its every night I now I'm having them. I'm not depressed I take xanax 1mg at night but doesn't help. What do I do!?
I have recently started having panic attacks, went to the doctor and we'd told nevus ofthe recent move I made could have triggered something. I started doing yoga every day. But just today I started to get then back and have no idea why.. I get super scared.. please help. I don't like feeling helpless, I would appreciate some feedback.. I also get them mostly when I start to fall asleep or while I'm sleeping..
Hi Caitlin,
A move is a big adjustment to make, and it is possible that your panic attacks are tied to that, at least at first. Perhaps now they feel more random. In panic disorder, panic attacks do come on seemingly at random, and that is one of the things that is so scary and frustrating about them -- they can't be predicted. It's good that you've noticed that yours do have a pattern of occurring with sleep. Have you tried keeping track of what you do during the day (activities, foods eaten, when you do these things, etc.) You might notice that your panic attacks happen when you've done something specific during the day. Knowing the connection can help you work through it. Having a written record could be very helpful to a doctor or therapist should you decide to seek professional help. This tracking won't eliminate panic attacks, of course, but it could lead to insight you can use in getting rid of them. Also, it sounds like you have a good coping strategy in doing yoga. Having regular things you use to stay calm or to calm down is very important in ridding yourself of panic. Sometimes they take time to really work. Your brain and body need to learn to associate something, such as yoga, with calming down, and they need to be trained to stay calm. Finally, know that you aren't doomed to this forever!
Hi! This post could not be written any better! Reading this post reminds me of
my good old room mate! He always kept talking about this.
I will forward this post to him. Pretty sure he will have
a good read. Many thanks for sharing!
Hello Gidget,
Jodi is the one who wrote this great post, but because she's no longer writing for HealthyPlace, she's unable to respond to comments. I'm so glad that you liked it and want to pass it along. Thanks for your comment.
Hey everyone,
I'm Candy, an older teenager, I've had severe crippling panic attacks since I was 8years old. I'm a senior student in college and I saw everyone's posts, I'm looking for advice on how to;
1. Cope with panic attacks at school.
2. Ways to tell my teacher about my panic attacks (teacher that already knows my panic attacks but doesn't understand them)
3. Ways to tell my friends (without feeling weak and helpless)
4. Ways to help relieve stress induced insomnia. (From panic attacks)
Any ideas will be much appreciated, thanks for your time! Candy
Hi Candy,
Welcome to HealthyPlace! I'm glad you discovered Jodi's article. Your four categories capture the questions/struggles that the vast majority of people living with panic or any other mental health challenge face. I hope you find many tips from fellow readers. As I don't want to stifle responses to your comment, I'm merely posting it and opening it up for discussion. May you find helpful insights!
I'm 16 and I started having panic attacks at the beginning of the year. My mom also suffers from panic attacks. So there is a history of panic attacks in my family. I constantly hurt all over and I constantly worry about my health. I'm a singer and I found that if it sing some happy or silly songs my panic attacks tend to disappear and I feel much better. Also I've found that standing or sitting in the sun tends to make my panic attack go away as well. But I'm looking for a way to deal with my panic attacks when I'm in large crowds and unable to leave. (Example: My 8th grade graduation) I never carry my medication with me because I feel like I'll get in trouble or something but there always somewhere close like in my moms purse.
Hello Molly,
Let me start by saying it's fantastic that you have found ways to manage your panic in certain situations. That's not always easy, and you have proven that you're stronger than your panic. But panic can still feel strong, such as when you are in large crowds. Some people find it helpful to, when possible, position themselves near an exit. When you can't do that (such as a graduation where you might have had assigned seats), it can be helpful to spot an exit and make a mental exit path. Keeping your attention focused on that path can sometimes reduce anxiety because you feel like you have some control over your situation and thus feel less trapped. People have reported that just knowing they've found an escape route helps them be able to remain in a crowd. When others read your comment in this thread, perhaps they'll be able to post some additional tips. It's good that you are looking for ways that will work for you in situations of panic. It's part of taking charge!
Hey Molly I saw your post, this happened to me, at school socials I felt trapped with no where to go, if you can map out your whole surroundings, pick out quiet spots, exits, something that you are interested in, someone's hat etc can help, you may also find it beneficial to slowly take part in the crowd (as you get more comfortable slowly go deeper into the crowd. Hope this helps good luck. Candy//
Inspiring and educational post, thank you for sharing. Dealing with anxiety is certainly not a straight road, but a windy pathway to freedom.
Hi Dennis,
I'm glad you enjoyed Jodi's post. I like your observation that dealing with anxiety is a windy path to freedom! Very true. I'm sorry we couldn't share the link to your website. We don't post links, even good ones, in order to keep Healthy Place a community where people can exchange thoughts and ideas without feeling like they're being solicited. Keep doing the great work you're doing!
Hi. Some good idea's. The Yoga position is a good one for it encourages controlled relaxation.
Hi Molly.
I will testify that the yoga position really works.
Thanks for the information.
This is a great list. I do agree with water and tears. Sometimes, a lot is going on in my head and it just won't stop and when I watch really moving videos or movies, it kind of lessens. Cold shower works too. I also spend time with our dogs and talk to them. I also have my boyfriend who is always there to help me and talk to me.
Thank you for sharing things that work for you to add to Jodi's list! Many people will benefit from your strategies.
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