What Is a Panic Attack? Why It Happens and How to Get Through One
Length: 1 minute 48 seconds
Panic first aid
Six steps for the middle of a panic attack. Go slow — there's no rush, and the wave has its own timer.
3 minute practice Plain-language guide
For your client · send between sessions
Videos to share with clients
3 Breathing Exercises for Anxiety That Actually Work
Length: 1 minute 32 seconds
Why Avoiding Anxiety Makes It Worse: The Avoidance Cycle
Length: 1 minute 37 seconds
Practice 01
Step 1 of 6
Name it
Say it in your head or out loud: "This is panic. It peaks, and it passes. I have felt this before and it ended — every single time." Naming it hands some of the volume back to the thinking brain.
Panic usually peaks within ten minutes. You are closer to the top of the wave than you feel.
What a panic attack is
Your body's alarm system firing at full volume without a current threat. Familiar panic symptoms are intensely uncomfortable and usually pass as the alarm settles. New, severe, or unusual symptoms still need medical assessment.When to get help
If chest pain is new or severe, get medical care first — it's always reasonable to rule things out. If attacks keep coming or you're avoiding places because of them, panic responds very well to therapy. Good to know
Panic usually rises and falls like a wave. The aim is to reduce added fear and stay oriented while the body completes the surge—not to force every sensation away.
If this does not help
Stop paced breathing if it increases dizziness. Use ordinary breathing, press your feet down, name visible objects, and seek medical help for unfamiliar warning signs.
Talk about this in therapy
- What do I predict the sensations mean?
- What avoidance or safety behaviors keep panic frightening?
Safety
New or severe chest pain, fainting, one-sided weakness, blue lips, severe breathing difficulty, or symptoms unlike your usual panic need urgent medical assessment. This is education, not a diagnosis or a substitute for care. Stop if the exercise makes you feel less safe or more overwhelmed. If you may act on thoughts of harming yourself or someone else, contact local emergency services or a crisis service now; in the U.S. and Canada, call or text 988.
Sources and limits+
Reviewed for clarity and updated October 2026. This page offers general education and cannot assess your individual situation.
- National Institute of Mental Health: anxiety disorders
- NICE guidance on anxiety and panic
- American Psychological Association: anxiety
Nothing you tap here is saved or sent anywhere. This page is free to use and share — therapists often send it to clients between sessions.