Panic attack: how to cope step by step (what to do during and after)?

A panic attack can frighten like nothing else: your heart speeds up, your breathing goes haywire, your body screams “run”, and your head adds catastrophic thoughts. The good news: a panic attack is a wave. It looks dangerous, but it passes.

Panic attack – how to cope during it (step by step)

1. Name it: “this is a panic attack, not a real threat”.
2. Grounding: press your feet against the floor, press your hands into your thighs, feel the contact with the chair.
3. Breathing: inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 6–8 seconds (without forcing it).
4. 5–4–3–2–1: name 5 things you see, 4 you feel, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste.
5. Small movement: if you can, walk slowly for 2–3 minutes and focus your attention on your steps.

What to do after a panic attack?

• do not punish yourself (“the same thing again”) – your body reacted with an alarm,
• write down what was happening just before the attack (thoughts, place, stress, caffeine, lack of sleep),
• take care of recovery: water, something light to eat, a moment of calm.

Why does it come back?

Often the culprit is a combination: stress + exhaustion + avoiding anxiety. The more you fear the next attack, the more easily your body sets off the alarm. This is a subject you can work on – especially if anxiety starts to affect your decisions. See also the page Stress and anxiety.

When is it worth talking to a psychologist?

When panic attacks start to limit your life: you avoid places, meetings, travel, work, and “what if it happens again…” keeps spinning in your head. If you like, check the services and get in touch via contact.

This content is for information purposes only and does not replace an individual medical or psychological consultation.