How to Stop a Panic Attack
Understanding Panic Attacks: When Your Body's Alarm System Goes Haywire
Have you ever felt like you were literally about to die, even though you were just standing in the frozen food aisle at Publix? If so, you might have experienced a panic attack. They're about as fun as a root canal without anesthesia, but unlike dental work, they tend to show up uninvited and at the most inconvenient times.
At Stillwater Therapy, we work with many clients who experience panic attacks, and let's just say: we get it. That feeling of impending doom isn't just "all in your head." It's a very real physiological response that has a perfectly rational explanation (even if the timing is completely irrational).
Let's break down what's really happening when panic attacks strike and, more importantly, what you can do about them.
What Is a Panic Attack? (Spoiler: It's Not Actually Killing You)
A panic attack is an intense surge of overwhelming fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there's no real danger present. It's essentially your body's "fire alarm" going off when there's no fire.
Think of it like this: your smoke detector doesn't know the difference between your burning toast and an actual house fire. It just detects smoke and screams bloody murder either way. Similarly, your brain's fear center (the amygdala) can't always distinguish between real threats and false alarms.
The kicker? These episodes typically peak within 10 minutes and rarely last longer than 30 minutes. So while it genuinely feels like the longest, most horrible experience of your life, it will pass. Promise.
Quick signs you might be having a panic attack:
Sudden overwhelming fear
Feeling of losing control
Heart palpitations or chest pain
Shortness of breath or feeling smothered
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Nausea or stomach distress
Chills or hot flashes
Numbness or tingling sensations
Physical Changes During a Panic Attack: The Whole-Body Experience
When panic hits, your body launches into fight-or-flight mode with the subtlety of a marching band in a library. Here's what's happening:
Your adrenal glands flood your system with adrenaline and cortisol: stress hormones designed to help you fight threats or run away from them.
Your breathing becomes rapid and shallow: you're taking in more oxygen to fuel your muscles (great for running from bears, not so helpful at the office).
Your heart rate skyrockets: increasing blood flow to your major muscle groups (again, excellent for fleeing danger, awkward during your lunch break).
Your blood vessels constrict: directing blood away from your digestive system and toward your limbs, causing digestive distress and sometimes nausea.
You begin sweating: your body's trying to cool itself down in preparation for all that fighting or fleeing it thinks you're about to do.
Why It Really Does Feel Like You're Dying
Here's the thing: you're not being dramatic when you think you're having a heart attack or dying during a panic attack. The physical sensations are intense and very real.
When your chest tightens and your heart races, your brain doesn't helpfully chime in with, "Oh, this is just excess adrenaline!" Instead, it screams, "SOMETHING IS TERRIBLY WRONG!" This creates a vicious feedback loop: physical symptoms → fear → more symptoms → more fear.
Research published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that while panic attacks themselves aren't dangerous, the experience activates many of the same physiological pathways as actual life-threatening situations, explaining why the experience feels so genuinely terrifying.
It feels like your body is trying to convince you you’re dying even though your rational mind knows better. Your body is a drama queen sometimes. But we can learn how to help it.
What's the Difference Between a Panic Attack and an Anxiety Attack?
This is where things get a bit technical (but stick with me). Many people use these terms interchangeably, but they're actually different experiences:
Panic Attacks:
Come on suddenly and intensely
Usually peak within 10 minutes
Often occur without an obvious trigger
Involve intense physical symptoms
Are recognized as a specific condition in diagnostic manuals
Anxiety Attacks:
Build gradually in response to worrying
Can last much longer (hours or even days)
Almost always have a clear trigger
May have milder physical symptoms
Aren't technically defined in diagnostic manuals
Think of anxiety as the slow-building thunderstorm with plenty of warning, while panic is the unexpected lightning strike that seems to come out of nowhere.
Many of our clients at Stillwater Therapy experience both, but understanding the difference helps in developing effective coping strategies. For more information on the differences between the two, check out our other blog Panic attacks vs. anxiety attacks: what’s the difference?
DBT TIPP Skills: Your Emergency Toolkit for Panic Attacks
When panic strikes, you need tools that work fast. That's where the TIPP skills from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) come in handy. These techniques are designed to rapidly change your physiological state when you're in distress.
Think of these as your panic "circuit breakers": they interrupt the panic cycle by forcing physical changes that signal safety to your brain.
Temperature: The Cold Water Trick
This one sounds bizarre but works like magic for many people. When you splash very cold water on your face or place an ice pack on your eyes, cheeks, and temples, you trigger something called the "mammalian dive reflex."
This reflex immediately slows your heart rate and breathing, essentially telling your body, "We're not running from a tiger right now, we're diving underwater, so calm down." Your body can't maintain panic mode while this reflex is activated.
Pro tip: Keep a small spray bottle of cold water in your bag or ice packs in your freezer for panic emergencies.
Intense Exercise: Burn Off the Adrenaline
Remember all that adrenaline coursing through your veins? It was meant to be used for physical activity. When you engage in brief, intense exercise during a panic attack, you're using those stress hormones the way nature intended.
Try:
20 jumping jacks
Running up and down stairs
Pushing against a wall with all your strength
Holding a wall sit position until your legs burn
The goal isn't a workout. It's to metabolize stress hormones quickly.
Paced Breathing: Reset Your Respiratory System
Panic attacks typically involve hyperventilation. This rapid, shallow breathing decreases CO₂ in your blood, causing many of the uncomfortable symptoms you experience.
Paced breathing counteracts this by:
Slowing down your breath
Making exhalations longer than inhalations
Activating the parasympathetic nervous system (your body's "rest and digest" mode)
A simple technique is box breathing: inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4, and repeat.
According to research published in Frontiers in Psychology, slow, controlled breathing techniques can significantly reduce anxiety and stress by directly affecting your autonomic nervous system.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Release the Physical Tension
Panic creates intense muscle tension throughout your body. Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) systematically releases this tension.
The technique:
Tense a muscle group hard (but not to the point of pain) for 5-7 seconds
Release suddenly and notice the feeling of relaxation
Move through major muscle groups from toes to head
This process not only releases physical tension but also distracts your mind from panic thoughts as you focus on different body parts.
Reaching Out for Support: You Don't Have to Face Panic Alone
Here's something people don't talk about enough: panic attacks can be incredibly isolating. When you're in the middle of one, you might feel embarrassed, ashamed, or like you're the only person who can't "keep it together."
Let me assure you: you are far from alone. Approximately 11% of Americans experience a panic attack each year. That's millions of people who know exactly what you're going through.
Reaching out for support is not a sign of weakness. It's a smart strategy for recovery. This might include:
Professional help: Therapists (like our team at Stillwater Therapy) can provide evidence-based treatments like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which has been shown to be highly effective for panic attacks.
Trusted friends or family: Sometimes just having someone who knows what's happening can reduce the fear of having an attack in public.
Support groups: Connecting with others who have similar experiences can reduce shame and provide practical coping tips.
Crisis lines: In moments of intense distress, having a trained counselor on the phone can be a lifeline.
Remember that panic attacks are highly treatable. With the right support and tools, most people see significant improvement or complete resolution of symptoms.
Final Thoughts: Your suffering has an end
Living with panic attacks can feel overwhelming, but they don't have to control your life. Think of them as false alarms: uncomfortable and scary, but not dangerous.
With practices like the TIPP skills, professional support, and self-compassion, many people not only learn to manage panic attacks but eventually experience them less frequently or not at all.
At Stillwater Therapy, we specialize in helping clients overcome anxiety and panic disorders using evidence-based approaches tailored to your unique situation. Our therapists understand the complex interplay between your thoughts, physical sensations, and behaviors during panic, and we can help you break the cycle
