Panic Tips

Tips for Panic Attacks

It Won’t Kill You, It Just FEELS Like It

RATE the panic on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 meaning not bad at all, up to 10 meaning, call an ambulance! Anything we can MEASURE we can start to control.

ACCEPT, don’t fight. Fighting increases the bodily symptoms.

ASK yourself: what’s the worst that could happen here? How would I handle it?

BREATHE normally and naturally.

FOCUS on an object in the room. See it, describe it to yourself. This helps orient you in the present moment reality.

TIME the attack (measuring again). Note how short it actually lasts.

NOTICE if the attacks are happening in a certain location or at a certain time (“cued” attacks.) When it passes, get out a piece of paper and write about that place or time. BE A SCIENTIST about your panic—objective, measuring, curious.

TAKE your writings to your counselor to further explore the causes of the panic.

REMEMBER that overcoming panic is not a matter of willpower. It is a malfunction of brain chemistry which can be helped by cognitive-behavioral therapy and/or medication.

By Debbie Devine, LPC