Natural Ways to Calm Panic Attack Symptoms
Your Guide to Understanding and Soothing Intense Anxiety in the Moment
The first time I had a panic attack, I was 18 and alone in my college dorm room. I had no idea what a panic attack was, let alone how to calm my mind and my body.
I’ve been on quite a journey with anxiety and panic and I wish I would’ve known about these techniques when I was in my 20s. Instead of learning how to deal with my panic attacks, I continued to build them up in my mind and tried to medicate them away with an SSRI.
My own journey has led me from confusion to clarity. But it started with a simple question I couldn't answer that day: what is a panic attack? Understanding this is foundational to managing it.
What is a Panic Attack?
Everybody experiences anxiety now and then. That’s natural. What’s not normal is having repeated panic attacks that can be debilitating and limit your ability to lead your normal life. But what exactly is a panic attack?
A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause. Panic attacks can be very frightening. When panic attacks occur, you might think you're losing control, having a heart attack or even dying.1
What are some of the symptoms when having a panic attack?
According to the UK’s NHS:
During a panic attack you get a rush of intense mental and physical symptoms. It can come on very quickly and for no apparent reason.
A panic attack can be very frightening and distressing.
Symptoms include:
A racing heartbeat
Feeling faint
Sweating
Nausea
Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Trembling
Hot flushes
Chills
Shaky limbs
A choking sensation
Dizziness
Numbness or pins and needles
Dry mouth
A feeling of dread or a fear of dying
A churning stomach
A tingling in your fingers
Feeling like you're not connected to your body
Most panic attacks last between 5 and 20 minutes, though some have been reported to last up to an hour.
Typically, you’ll know if you’ve had a panic attack before. But when you have your first one, it might be difficult to self-diagnose in the moment because the feelings can be so intense and distressing.
It’s kind of like if someone walks up to you out of nowhere and punches you square in the jaw. Your mind will immediately go into survival mode (fight or flight) and you’ll struggle to understand the situation and what to do.
That was me in my dorm room when I thought I was dying. I disconnected from my body and was having terrifying thoughts that I was going to fall over and die right there.
If that all sounds scary, it is. BUT, that was because I didn’t understand anxiety and panic disorders. What I didn’t understand then was that anxiety and panic attacks were my body’s alarm system trying to HELP me.
My body was trying to tell me that I was stressed out and not properly coping with it. I was a bundle of nerves, drinking for the first time on the weekends, eating terribly, not exercising, and internalizing all this newfound stress.
If I would’ve known that at the time, I could’ve changed my entire relationship with my anxiety and panic and learned to listen to it and work with it rather than run from it. My hope for you is you develop a better relationship with your anxiety and panic, because it will truly improve your life.
Techniques to Reduce the Symptoms of a Panic Attack
These are all science-backed techniques that can help to reduce the symptoms you experience during a panic attack. You can find research on each technique’s effectiveness if you do a little Googling or ChatGPT’ing.
If you’re someone who has panic attacks regularly (more than once or twice a year), I would recommend saving this post or writing these down in a notes app so you have them in the moment.
Remind yourself where you store this info regularly so that when panic comes up, you can find it quickly.
One thing to note: Breathing can feel difficult during a panic attack and sometimes people get lightheaded when doing these exercises.
If you become lightheaded or feel like you’re going to pass out, you do not have to continue. Return to focusing on your breath as normally as possible. But, most times, the lightheadedness will go away quickly as you’re doing these exercises.
Deep Breathing
When you have a panic attack, your breathing often becomes rapid and shallow. It feels like you can’t take a deep breath (or breathe at all). I’ve described it before as a feeling suffocating even though you’re actually breathing. It’s weird.
Deep breathing by focusing on breathing into your diaphragm and stomach activates the parasympathetic nervous system. This system is responsible for your body’s “rest and digest” response that slows your heart rate, lowers your blood pressure, and promotes a sense of calm.
There are multiple techniques to focus on deep breathing:
Diaphragmatic Breathing
Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your stomach. Breath in slowly and deeply through your nose and into your stomach. As you’re breathing, pay close attention to your stomach expanding and contracting. Focus on making your exhales longer than your inhales.
Box Breathing
This is my favorite technique because it’s really easy to remember in the moment and easy to do.
Think of a box or square. Four equal sides.
For box breathing:
Inhale for four seconds
Hold your breath for four seconds
Exhale for four seconds
Hold your breath for four seconds
Repeat this at least 2-3x but feel free to continue until your symptoms start to dissipate.
4-7-8 Breathing
Another one I like is 4-7-8 Breathing because it’s also easy to remember.
Inhale quietly through your nose for a count of four
Hold your breath for a count of seven
Exhale forcefully through your mouth with a "whoosh" sound for a count of eight.
Repeat this several times but feel free to continue until your symptoms go away.
Grounding Techniques
If you feel like you’re losing control of your body or disassociating, grounding techniques can be helpful to bring you back inside of your body.
There are a few techniques I’ve used and they’re really easy.
5-4-3-2-1 Method
This one focuses on your senses. Start to connect with your body and your senses by identifying:
Five things you can see
Four things you can touch
Three things you can hear
Two things you can smell
One thing you can taste.
Focus on each sense deliberately.
Tactile Grounding
Focus on the feeling of touch. What is near you that you can feel? Go touch some objects and note how they feel.
Example: If I’m feeling a wave of panic and I’m at home, often it’s when I’m sitting on the couch with my dog, Greta.
I can start petting Greta and noting how her fur feels to the touch. I can pet her belly and feel how much smoother it is than her fur. I can hold her paws and feel how much rougher they are than her skin and fur.
This ability to connect with your sense of touch and feel the surrounding world helps to reconnect your mind with your body.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)
When you’re having a panic attack, your muscles often tense up. I’ve found this technique really helpful when I’m having a panic attack where my muscles are really tensing up.
Plus, it’s really easy to do.
Focus on going through your body, top to bottom, or bottom to top, and tensing each muscle as hard as you can for five to ten seconds and then releasing. You’ll notice your body will feel less tense overall once you’re finished.
Example: I typically work from bottom to top. So I’ll start by curling my toes as hard as I can for five seconds and then releasing. Then tense my calves. Then my quads and hamstrings. Then my abs. Then my chest. Then my hands and forearms. Biceps. And finally, my neck (by trying to touch my shoulders to my ears).
After you’ve worked through this, you’ll notice your muscles start to feel more relaxed, which then helps to calm your mind.
Cold Water Exposure
This is my absolute favorite because I’ve found it works the quickest. Obviously, you have to have access to cold water, but if there is a bathroom wherever you are, you’re good to go.
Cold exposure, like the breathing techniques, activates the parasympathetic nervous system (specifically the vagus nerve) to reduce your heart rate, blood pressure, and bring a calming effect.
A few ways to do this:
Use your shower and turn it on cold: I mostly have had the pleasure of having panic attacks alone at my house, but that sets me up nicely for this one because I can turn my shower on fully cold and stick my head underneath it.
Get an ice pack and put it on your face and back of your neck.
Fill a big bowl with water and put a bunch of ice in it and put your entire face in it (but obviously, don’t drown yourself, please)
Splash cold water on your face: This one works if you’re out in public but have access to a restroom.
The calming effect is almost instantaneous.
Conclusion
Panic attacks can be terrible, but you can learn to change your relationship with them and manage the symptoms as they come up.
Figure out what techniques are the easiest to remember and work the best and you’re well on your way.
The final thing I want to mention: If you find yourself having panic attacks regularly, I would highly advise you to work with your doctor and/or therapist to understand why.
These techniques help in the moment, but if you’d like to prevent panic attacks, you need to address the underlying issues.
You deserve to live a life free of panic attacks and that starts with understanding why you’re having them.
And while medication can be a support for some, a pill alone can't provide that deep understanding. Trust me, I know the importance of digging deeper.
What techniques have you found that have been helpful? Let’s discuss in the comments and help each other!
https://toxicmale.substack.com/p/how-i-conquered-panic-attacks?r=p2zha
Thank you for this insightful and compassionate guide, Andy. Your personal experience and practical techniques offer a sense of hope and empowerment to those navigating panic attacks. It's refreshing to see mental health discussed with such honesty and clarity. This post is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to understand and manage their anxiety. Grateful for your work in making these conversations more accessible.