Do you find yourself having panic or anxiety attacks often? Is it difficult to ask for help or speak to anyone about panic attacks? Do you avoid social situations in fear that you will have a panic attack in public? Please continue to read to learn how to stop a panic attack before it happens.
What is a panic attack?
You may hear the term “panic attack” often. People may use it lightly as an exaggeration when speaking about being nervous. But what does a panic attack feel like? How do you tell when someone is having a panic attack?
A panic attack is an unexpected and intense wave of fear. It can lead to severe physical reactions. When panic attack occurs, your heart pounds, you can not breathe. You may feel like you are going crazy, losing control, or even dying. In fact, there is no real danger or apparent cause. Panic attacks can be very frightening. Panic attacks may come about without a trigger and can happen at any time. For example, when you are driving a car, during a meeting, or you may even have a panic attack in sleep.
Panic attack vs. heart attack
Panic attack and heart attack share similar symptoms. Actually some people believe they are having a heart attack and go to ER multiple times.
There are many different variations that come with panic attacks. Specifically, how long does a panic attack last, or how severe it feels. Generally speaking, it will peak at a few minutes and will make the person feel fatigued once it subsides.
Difference between Panic attack and Panic disorder
Many people with anxiety report having panic attacks. Actually like many people, you may have just one or two panic attacks in your lifetime. The problem could go away when stress ends. However, there is another condition, panic disorder. What is the difference between panic attack and panic disorder? If you have had panic attacks multiple times and spent long periods in constant fear of another attack, you may have panic disorder. Approximately 2-3% of Americans experience panic disorder in a given year, according to the ADAA. They also note that it is twice as common for women than for men to experience panic disorder, and symptoms will usually begin in the late teens to early adulthood.
Symptoms and signs of a panic attack
Although panic attacks may look different for everyone, there are general signs and symptoms of a panic attack. It typically includes some of these symptoms: 
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Nausea
- Chills
- Shortness of breath
- Rapid heart rate
- Hot flashes
- Abdominal cramping
- Numbness
- Feeling dying
Causes of panic attacks
There are many different reasons why someone may be experiencing panic attacks. Some of the factors may include:
- Genetics: A history of panic attacks or panic disorder may put one at risk for panic attacks.
- Trauma: Sexual assault, a serious accident, or any other traumatic experience.
- Major life changes, such as having a child, moving out of town, or starting a new job.
- Unhealthy habits, such as smoking or excessive caffeine intake.
- A history of childhood abuse or sexul assault.
No matter the cause for the onset of panic attacks or panic disorder, it is important to note that there are things you can do to help to deal with and overcome these challenges. Thinking about the potential factors that have contributed to panic attacks can be important. That is, they can help you overcome the roots and underlying anxieties to your panic.
Social Tolls and Dangers of Panic Attacks
Related to panic attacks is the avoidance of social events or situations in fear that they will cause a panic attack. One of the scariest parts of experiencing a panic attack can be the fact that another one can happen, and at any moment. Since panic attacks don’t need a specific trigger to start, it can lead to people avoiding situations altogether. Reading our blog on social anxiety can help to overcome the fear of social situations related to panic attacks.
It is also important to note the other potential risks that may come along with panic attacks. These could include issues such as problems at work or school, depression or other anxiety disorders, alcohol or substance abuse, and other complications. Dealing with panic attacks or panic disorder can be stressful. That is why it is so important to be proactive and get the right help you need.
How to Stop a Panic Attack
There is no set way to stop panic attacks from happening, but there are many ways you can deal with and potentially prevent a panic attack before it happens.
1. Get medical treatment to stop panic attacks
Medical treatment can help to reduce the symptoms of panic attacks, including intensity and frequency of panic attacks, hence improve your daily functioning and quality of life. Go to a medical care professional and get the right medical care you need. This can include getting prescription with medicine such as SSRIs, SNRIs, benzodiazepines, or receiving other healthcare advice.
2. Regular sleep and exercise patterns
Having regular sleep and exercise schedules can help to deal with symptoms of panic attacks and anxiety. Yoga is a great form of movement that can help deal with these symptoms.
3. Practice mindfulness meditation and other breathing exercises
One of the main symptoms of panic attacks is shortness of breath, or hyperventilating. If you are able to control your breathing, it can greatly reduce the severity of a panic attack. Focus on taking deep breaths, in and out through the mouth. Set specific counts for how long you hold the breath in, and how long you exhale.
In mindful meditation, you use nonjudgmental awareness to accept or acknowledge your feelings, thoughts, and physical sensations. When are you about to have a panic attack, it is important to fully acknowledge the existence of any panicky emotions, feelings, and thoughts. The more you can experience them in your body and mind, the less anxious you would feel, and the more you can let them be.
4. Remind yourself that a panic attack is temporary
The symptoms of a panic attack usually reaches its peak within 10 minutes. Very rare does it last more than an hour. In other words, a panic attack usually ends within 20 to 30 minutes. It feels uncomfortable, but is not dangerous. It is important to remember that what you are experiencing is a panic attack and that it will pass shortly.
5. Close your eyes to stop a panic attack
Panic attacks may be more severe if there are many stimuli involved. Closing your eyes can help to tone down your environment. This way, it helps you to feel more relaxed. By the same token, this will also help with breathing exercises as mentioned above.
6. Focus on an object
Finding an object and focusing on as many details about it as possible. This can help to ground you during a panic attack. It can help to control other thoughts going on through your mind, so that you don’t focus on too many things at once. This is actually a simplified grounding technique we introduce below.
7. Use Grounding techniques to deal with a panic attack
Grounding technique means to bring your attention to what is happening to you physically, either in your body or in your surroundings. When your mind is racing mind, grounding brings you back to the here-and-now. It is very helpful in managing overwhelming feelings or anxiety. instead of being trapped by the thoughts in your mind that are causing you to feel anxious. In other words, it helps you to stay in the present moment instead of being trapped by the worrying thoughts in your mind.
The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique
The typical 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique uses all five senses to help you to redirect attention from anxious thoughts back to the present moment. It starts with you sitting comfortably. Close your eyes and take a few deep breathes. Open your eyes, look around you, and name out loud:
5 – things you can see (look within the room and out of the window)
4 – things you can feel (e.g., your skin, the texture of the material on your chair, feel what your hair feels like; something in front of you that you can touch, etc.)
3 – things you can hear (e.g., traffic noise, birds chirping, foot stepping, music, AC, TV, water running, ).
2 – things you can smell (coffee, tea, freshly cut grass, vegetable, fruit, fragrance, essential oil…)
1 – thing you can taste (candy, chocolate, water, raisin, or any fruit. Take a small bite or sip. Let it swill around your mouth for a couple of seconds, really savoring the flavor).
Take a deep breath to end the exercise.
8. Develop healthy habits
Certain healthy habits can help to prevent panic attacks. For example, controlling your alcohol or coffee intake, as well as your diet, A 2010 study at Harvard Medical School showed that nutritional strategies can help to ease anxiety. Specifically, antioxidant, if included in the anti-anxiety diet, may help to reduce symptoms of anxiety disorders.
This Harvard study listed foods considered high in antioxidants by the USDA include:
- Beans: Dried small red, Pinto, black, red kidney
- Fruits: Apples (Gala, Granny Smith, Red Delicious), prunes, sweet cherries, plums, black plums
- Berries: Blackberries, strawberries, cranberries, raspberries, blueberries
- Nuts: Walnuts, pecans
- Vegetables: Artichokes, kale, spinach, beets, broccoli
- Spices with both antioxidant and anti-anxiety properties include turmeric (containing the active ingredient curcumin) and ginger.
9. Therapy for panic attacks
One of the most important ways to help deal with, and potentially prevent panic attacks, is speaking with a therapist. Psychotherapy can help you to understand panic attacks and panic disorder and learn how to cope with them. A good therapist can help you to cope with panic attacks and work out other ways to deal with anxiety.
Dealing with panic attacks will not be an easy task, but with the right treatments and care, you can help reduce their severity and even frequency. There are people out there who can help you cope with the symptoms of anxiety and panic, such as loved ones, a medical professional, or a therapist. Self-care is also one of the biggest factors in allowing lifestyle changes to take place to help live with symptoms of panic attacks. Taking the right steps to overcome the challenges that come with panic attacks can help ensure that fear of social situations and other big life events will be eased.
Dr. June and her team are here to support you and assist you in your journey of dealing with panic attacks and other anxiety disorders. Our therapists in New York will help you to identify the panic attacks, gain insight, learn coping skills, and practice techniques to validate yourself. Call us free for 15 minutes, you deserve respect and the best quality of a relationship.
Special thanks to the contribution of our psychology intern Tammy Krikheli