Panic Attacks: What They Are and What to Do in the Moment

It can hit out of nowhere: in the grocery store, on the freeway, or in bed at night. Your heart pounds, your chest tightens, you can’t catch your breath, and you’re sure something is terribly wrong. Many people end up in the emergency room the first time. A panic attack feels dangerous, but on its own it isn’t.

What happens in your body

A panic attack is your body’s alarm system firing when there’s no real danger. Adrenaline surges, causing symptoms like:

• A racing or pounding heart.
• Shortness of breath or a feeling of choking.
• Chest tightness, dizziness, or shaking.
• Tingling in the hands or face.
• A sense of unreality or fear of losing control or dying.

Most panic attacks peak within about ten minutes and then pass.

New or unexplained chest pain always needs medical attention. If you’re not sure what’s happening, call 911. Once a doctor has ruled out medical causes, you can learn to treat panic as what it is: a false alarm.

What to do in the moment

• Name it. Tell yourself: “This is panic. It’s uncomfortable, but it will pass.”
• Slow your breathing. Breathe out longer than you breathe in.
• Ground yourself. Name five things you see, four you can touch, three you hear.
• Don’t fight it or run. Letting the wave rise and fall teaches your brain it’s safe.

When panic becomes a cycle

After a few attacks, many people start avoiding places where they happened, or live in fear of the next one. That’s when panic disorder can take hold. The good news: it’s one of the most treatable anxiety conditions. CBT helps you understand the cycle and gradually face what you’ve been avoiding.

NeuroCare PI offers anxiety treatment in Salt Lake City, including help for panic, in English and Spanish. Request an appointment and start feeling in control again.