How to stop panic attacks fast

How to stop panic or anxiety attacks and prevent them from happening again

Naturally, you want to stop an anxiety attack from ever happening again – they’re terrifying!

No wonder you’re terrified of doing anything or going anywhere in case you have a panic attack. I suspect you’re also scared an anxiety attack might kill you!  

I totally understand how very frightening anxiety attacks can be.

So let me reassure you right away: panic attacks or anxiety attacks are common, can happen to anybody and are not a sign you’re going mad, crazy or off your rocker!

• Can you die from a panic attack? NO, panic attacks are not fatal. Read on to find out why they won’t kill you.
• Can you faint during a panic attack? NO, and you can find out why you won’t faint further down.
• Can they cause shortness of breath? YES, but only due to how you breathe during an attack. Read on to discover how to treat this symptom.
• Can panic attacks be cured? YES, very likely. My self-help strategies below will get you started on the road to recovery.
• Are panic attacks treatable? YES, read on…

As a (now semi-retired) therapist with 24 years of experience, I’ve treated many people who suffered from anxiety and panic attacks.

I know what’s likely to work and what won’t.

Though, ultimately, you are the expert on you here. So, choose whichever strategy you think would work best for you.

Why anxiety attacks don’t happen ‘for no reason’!

4 causes of anxiety attacks

1. Chances are you’ve not been feeling well for some time. Perhaps you had an underlying feeling of unease that felt more like stress over time. Then that feeling might have turned into a constant sense of anxiety for no reason. Eventually, your body/mind called it a day – without realising why or how you suddenly had a panic attack.
2. You have panic attacks because you’re having a flashback due to a previous traumatic event (or events). Such anxiety attacks can be a symptom of PTSD.
3. You’re suffering from anxiety or panic attacks as a symptom of a nervous breakdown.
4. You have anxiety attacks as a side effect of medications, such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication. See this list of medications for panic disorder on verywellmind. See further down for other meds with anxiety as a side effect.

New! What are your symptoms?

No email is needed, just tick your symptoms and see what’s happening for other visitors…

Why do panic attacks happen?

During an experience of a high level of anxiety or your first anxiety attack, your brain registered the environment around you. It made a note of things like smells, tastes, sights, sounds and touch.

Normally, your brain stores all that information in separate places in your brain.

However, because it gathered the information during a time of high anxiety – signalling danger – your brain has neatly bundled it in one place for split-second availability.

Now your brain can warn you, even ahead of time, of ‘impending danger’. It prepares you for fight or flight without you knowing it’s happening.

If you are near a situation even remotely similar to the original anxiety episode, your brain knows how to instruct your body/mind to keep you safe.

For example, if your panic attack occurred in train station A, you need not be surprised if it also happens in train station B.

If it happened in the lift in a shopping centre, it might also occur in any other lift you happen to take.

If someone standing close to you is wearing a particular perfume whilst you had a panic attack, that same perfume on someone else could trigger a panic attack somewhere else.

And that’s how the attacks might seem random and increase in frequency.

So, your brain has prepared you to run like hell, but you might be standing in a queue, sitting behind your desk, or at a party. In other words – you’re not somewhere in a life-threatening situation where you’d have to run or fight to escape.

But, now your brain’s overreaction leads to a more generalised fear of activities and situations, and potentially even agoraphobia. You might even wonder if you’re going ‘crazy’.

The good news is that you are not going crazy! And I hope the above has helped you understand that your symptoms aren’t random.

Can anxiety or panic attacks kill you, make you faint or cause a heart attack?

Can anxiety attacks damage your heart?

I’m not surprised if your anxiety attacks are causing you to worry about having a heart attack. 

During a panic attack, your heart does what’s expected under the circumstances. It’s under the direction of your brain, which is convinced you’re in a life-threatening situation. Your brain has instructed your heart to speed up to pump extra blood through your body. The extra blood provides, in particular, your major muscle groups (legs and arms) with extra nutrients so that you can run like the clappers! 

Any chest pain you experience during a panic attack is most likely to result from over-breathing. Your chest muscles tighten up as you try to catch your breath, tire and cause you pain.

An anxiety attack itself cannot damage your heart.

I’m assuming you’ll have seen your doctor for a checkup to ensure you’re not suffering from any underlying condition!

See this Medical News Today article for the difference between a heart attack and an anxiety attack.

Can you pass out when you can’t breathe during a panic attack?

During a panic attack, you’ll struggle to catch your breath, causing you to feel a bit dizzy.

But you won’t faint. People faint when their blood pressure drops. Your blood pressure is far more likely to rise during an anxiety attack.

Can you choke or faint during an anxiety attack?

Your body-mind always automatically adjusts to any external and internal changes. So, the moment it perceives danger in the environment, real or imagined, it ensures you’re prepared to tackle whatever comes your way. Therefore, as some people do, you don’t need to feel that you’re ‘a freak’ and your body’s letting you down.

Remind yourself often: your body and mind typically respond to what they perceive as abnormal circumstances. You are healthy and safe.

I’d like you to practise the following breathing exercise several times daily. Learning to control your breathing in a safe environment means it’ll be much easier to keep calmer when you feel a panic attack coming on.

How to stop an anxiety attack immediately

Your 3-step calm-breathing-plan to stop anxiety attacks

1. Start by breathing out fully through an open mouth, pulling your belly in and pushing the air out of your lungs. Keep your shoulders relaxed, ready for step 2. (The shortness of breath results from over-breathing when you don’t take the time to breathe out completely.)
2. Breathe in as slowly as possible – preferably through your nose – and breathe out fully as per #1. As you begin to catch your breath again, you’ll feel some immediate relief.
3. Now start counting the length of your in-breaths and work towards doubling the length of your out-breaths. The counting will help you to focus on something other than your sense of panic.

Losing touch with reality?

This symptom is simply due to the reduced blood flow to your brain because of shallow breathing. Or you’re suffering from a flashback, such as when you have PTSD.

Blood carries oxygen and nutrients your brain needs to function optimally.

Your doctor may talk to you about depersonalisation and derealisation.

You may be telling yourself that you’re going crazy or losing your mind.

I am telling you it’s a typical panic or anxiety attack symptom.

You could reframe this symptom as your brain disconnecting you from the feared situation’s full impact.

Here’s the best way to stop the panic attack…

Your plan of action to stop anxiety attacks

1. See, feel, hear. Focus on one thing at a time and name what you see around you. Grab hold of anything, feel it and note its texture and temperature. Put words to these attributes. Focus on one sound at a time near to you and name it.
2. Breathe out fully and breathe in slowly (see the 3-step calm breathing plan).
3. ‘Simply’ (I truly understand, though, there’s nothing simple about it for you) wait for it to pass, as it will pass.

Can you die from a panic attack?

Will panic attacks kill you?

No, they won’t.

Yet, you’re probably worried that you’re very ill and that you could die at any moment, anywhere.

I totally get that when you’re having such strange and often severe symptoms.

Have you ever had a traumatic near-death experience? If so, your present panic attacks and fear of dying are almost certainly connected to the original trauma. You’re likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress symptoms.

Regardless of the origins of your fears, people close to you are unlikely to understand or take your fear of dying seriously.

Your doctor, though, should understand. They may want to prescribe anti-anxiety or antidepressant medication.

Know that medication won’t cure you but may be helpful short term. Unfortunately, it can also make matters worse.

Therefore, I’d like you to make an informed decision, and reading my article on how to deal with depression without medication might help.

Your plan of action to stop anxiety attacks

1. Be sure to get a medical checkup to rule out any underlying medical conditions.
2. Learn about other people’s experiences – read their forum posts and take comfort from the fact that they haven’t succumbed to their anxiety attacks.
3. Accept that when you’re in the grip of a panic attack, you’re probably going to carry on feeling as though you’re about to die. Although it’s awful to feel, know that it will subside. Further down, you’ll learn how to stop the attacks once they’ve started.

Why a panic attack won’t kill you

When you’re in the middle of a fight/flight/freeze reaction, the logical part of your brain cuts out.

Calculating your best mode of escape in a life-threatening situation takes too much time. So, your brain bypasses that route and instead goes for a black or white option – do or die.

You’ve already learnt why your heart is racing and you can’t catch your breath. So hopefully, you understand that these are temporary physical reactions to a perceived threat. Your panic attack won’t kill you – you’ll live another day!

Can panic attacks be cured?

Yes, panic or anxiety attacks can be cured. But you’ll have to work on it!

Your anxiety attacks are causing you to feel jumpy, easily startled and on edge all the time in case another attack strikes. Your life is probably consumed by doing all you can to avoid another attack.

Therefore, we will work on your fear of further panic attacks – an essential part of your recovery.

Why so?

Because that fear adds another layer to your suffering and it perpetuates the cycle of attacks.

How to stop panic attacks from reoccurring

The following is a really challenging exercise, I know.

I prefer you to work through it with a CBT therapist (link opens in a new tab).

However, you may not be able to access therapy for whatever reason.

So, here’s the plan…

You’ll have to put your brave shoes on, determined to rid yourself of the attacks once and for all – by yourself!

Commit to your recovery, and don’t let any setbacks or wobbles throw you off course.

Your 3-step action plan to stop anxiety attacks

1. Familiarise yourself first with all the previous strategies, particularly the breathing exercise.
2. Be sure you’ve practised those coping strategies until they’ve become second nature.
3. Enlist the help of a friend who is willing to follow your instructions (and doesn’t suffer from anxiety!).

Repeat visits to the places you experienced a panic attack

That sounds scary, I know.

So, why would I want you to do that? Read on…

Here’s how you can stop panic attacks from happening and prevent them from happening again:

Your plan of action to stop anxiety attacks

1. Prepare yourself. Ask a friend to come along or take a book so you can simply sit somewhere and pretend to read. Take a bottle of water in case you get thirsty or have a dry mouth.
2. Start with one of the places that cause you a lower amount of anxiety. Use your well-practised coping strategies to calm yourself as you get closer and when you arrive. Settle yourself somewhere while still feeling somewhat anxious. Remind yourself that the feeling will pass. Keep using your calming strategies.
3. Stay there and wait until you’ve calmed down. Your friend can help you count your breaths and soothe you through your anxiety until it fades.

The last step is crucial!

Previously, during an attack, you probably fled the scene in a high state of anxiety. But now, I want you to experience that anxiety and feel it subside, which it will even while staying where you are!

You have to give your brain time to discover that it is safe there (assuming you’re not in a place infested with alligators or gun-toting drug dealers).

Since you leave in a somewhat calmer state (the pattern in your brain is updated), your next visit to this place will likely be a little less challenging.

As you repeat the process repeatedly, it’ll be a little less stressful with each repetition until, finally, you can go to that place without batting an eyelid :-)

Then repeat for other places. Though you’ll probably find that you’re calmer entering them.

More ways to prevent anxiety attacks from happening – special situations

Any of the following can potentially undermine your courageous efforts, so at the very least, do take the suggested action:

4 further ways to help prevent panic attacks

1. Taking medication for a health condition?
   See also Dr Kelly Brogan’s site (https://kellybroganmd.com/) for information on these medications: painkillers, corticosteroids, and medication for conditions including ADHD, seizures, thyroid conditions, Parkinson’s and asthma. All these can cause anxiety as a side effect. The breathing exercises described in this article are helpful to you also.
2. Drinking too much alcohol?
   If you’re having trouble with that, consider using an expertly produced audio hypnosis download, such as ‘Moderate your alcohol intake’. See my article Hypnosis downloads FAQ.
3. Suffering from drug addiction?
   Now is the time to ask for help, as your panic attacks won’t stop until you ditch the addiction.
4. Suffering from a phobia?
   I recommend talking to an (online) therapist (link) who can help get over your phobia. If that’s not an option for you, consider using a hypnosis audio download instead.

When else can panic attacks happen?

Here are some further examples of when they can happen and what you can do to deal with them:

• When you’re pregnant
  Ask for help from your doctor, midwife or another healthcare provider. The attacks won’t directly harm your baby, but it’s important that you feel as peaceful as possible. In particular, I want you to be able to look forward to the actual birth of your baby and not panic about the prospect.
• Before your period
  Speak to your healthcare provider if you suffer from panic attacks before your menstruation. The problem could be hormonal.
• During the menopause
  Anxiety is a common symptom of the menopause, and can, unfortunately, lead to panic attacks.
• During sleep
  Calm yourself with the breathing exercises described earlier. Consider taking a natural remedy. Don’t expect to go back to sleep, but don’t watch your mobile to entertain yourself.
  Or, why not try listening to an audiobook/story, calming music, or hypnosis audio (see my page on Hypnosis FAQ and downloads)?
• While you’re driving
  Panic attacks in the car happen for the same reasons as all anxiety attacks. You’re likely to have been highly anxious while driving, which provoked an attack. Your best option is to arrange for some extra lessons with a specialist driving instructor.