How to Deal with Panic Attacks

During a panic attack, do these 5 things first: 1. Tell yourself: This is a panic response. A racing heart, chest tightness, and rapid breathing can make your brain mistakenly believe there's danger, and the more scared you get, the worse it becomes. You can slowly tell yourself: "I'm having a panic response right now, it doesn't mean there's real danger. It will pass." 2. Don't desperately try to take deep breaths. Many people take big gulps of air during a panic attack, which can actually cause hyperventilation and make dizziness worse. Instead, try this: Inhale slowly through your nose for about 3-4 seconds Exhale slowly for about 5-6 seconds You don't need to inhale deeply Continue for a few minutes The key is to exhale slightly longer than you inhale. 3. Bring your attention back to reality. You can do the "5-4-3-2-1" exercise: Look at 5 things Touch 4 things Listen to 3 sounds Notice 2 smells Taste 1 thing This helps you stop constantly monitoring your heart rate and breathing. 4. Don't keep checking your body. For example, constantly measuring your heart rate or blood pressure, touching your chest, or searching for "Is there something wrong with my heart?" This might offer temporary relief but can easily maintain the panic cycle. 5. Wait for it to pass, don't rush to escape. If a doctor has already diagnosed you with panic disorder, learning to "let the feeling subside without escaping" is an important part of treatment, provided you are in a safe situation. 🧠 For true treatment of panic disorder, the most important things are: Psychotherapy + medication if necessary. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a commonly used treatment method that trains you to re-understand "heart palpitations, chest tightness, and dizziness."