Back
Anxiety · Panic

Panic Attack Worksheet

Physical sensations, feared meaning, evidence against, plan for the next attack

TherapistAssist logo

Panic attacks peak in ~10 minutes and pass in ~20–30. This worksheet names the physical sensations, the feared meaning attached to them, the evidence against that meaning, and the plan for the next attack — written when the client is calm, used when they are not.

Physical sensations I get in a panic attack (racing heart, chest, breath, dizzy, tingling)
What I fear these sensations mean (heart attack, going crazy, dying, losing control)
What is actually true — panic attacks do not cause the feared outcome
My plan during the next attack — breathe slower, stay in the situation, name the feeling as panic not danger
Belief in the feared meaning BEFORE panic ends (0–100)
none
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
most
Belief in the feared meaning AFTER panic ends (0–100)
none
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
most

The feared meaning drops with each attack ridden out without safety behaviors. That is the mechanism.

© 2026 TherapistAssist ·

About this worksheet

A one-page CBT panic worksheet built around the fear-of-fear model: panic attacks are maintained by the belief that the sensations themselves are dangerous. The worksheet names the physical sensations the client gets in a panic attack (racing heart, chest tightness, breathlessness, dizziness, tingling, unreality); the feared meaning attached to those sensations (heart attack, going crazy, dying, losing control); the evidence against that feared meaning (attacks peak in about ten minutes and pass in twenty to thirty; the feared outcome has never occurred despite many attacks); and the plan for the next attack (slow the breath, stay in the situation, name the feeling as panic not danger, drop safety behaviors). Belief in the feared meaning is rated 0–100 before and after each attack ridden out without safety behaviors. That belief drop is the mechanism of recovery.

When to use it

  • Panic disorder — the foundational CBT tool.
  • Agoraphobia — paired with interoceptive and situational exposure.
  • Health anxiety with panic — separating panic sensations from medical fear.
  • First-attack psychoeducation — normalizing what happened and what it wasn't.
  • Any client using safety behaviors that maintain panic long-term.

How to use it

  1. 1
    Fill it in when calm, not during an attack

    The worksheet is a plan written in advance. Reading it during an attack is fine; writing it during one is not.

  2. 2
    The feared meaning is the target

    Panic treatment works by disconfirming the catastrophic prediction, not by preventing sensations. Name the meaning precisely.

  3. 3
    Drop safety behaviors deliberately

    Carrying water, sitting near exits, avoiding caffeine — each safety behavior preserves the feared meaning. Plan which one to drop next.

  4. 4
    Track belief across attacks, not symptom count

    The relevant number is how believable the catastrophe is, not how often panic happens. That number drops first; frequency follows.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use this without a panic disorder diagnosis?+

Yes. The worksheet is useful for occasional panic attacks, situational panic, and health-anxiety-related panic — anywhere the fear-of-fear cycle is running.

Isn't teaching people to breathe slower a safety behavior?+

Breathing retraining can become a safety behavior if used to prevent the feared outcome. Used to ride out an attack while dropping other safety behaviors, it's a coping skill, not a crutch.

Is this worksheet free?+

Yes. Free printable PDF. Sign in to send as a secure client link.

Related worksheets

Trauma
Panic Attack Survival Plan
Open worksheet
CBT
Health Anxiety Checking Log
Open worksheet

Worksheet — Panic Attack Worksheet — provided by TherapistAssist for clinical use. Not a substitute for assessment or treatment.