Having a Panic Attack?
I’ve been there and I get how terrifying it feels
If you’re having a panic attack right now, you’re probably not wanting or able to read a whole blog post about what to do, so I’ll keep it short and sweet!
This will not kill you. It’s completely safe to experience. You will not die, go crazy, or stay like this.
You don’t have to find coping skills. You don’t have to fix or make it go away. Instead, try this:
tell your panic you’re excited by the feeling
ask for more of the sensations, thoughts, and feelings
say “Come on anxiety, that’s all you’ve got? Give me more!”
drop all resistance to feeling the panic and let the wave of adrenaline ride through you
I know how scary and vulnerable it feels to ask for your panic to get worse. But running towards it is how we calm it down.
a panic attack is just energy moving through your body. let it.
What can make your panic attack stronger and last longer:
resisting it
tensing muscles
running away from it
white knuckling and waiting for it to pass until you go back to doing your normal activities
believing the thoughts that it’s dangerous and you’ll be stuck this way forever
What can make your panic attack weaken and calm down faster:
allowing the sensation
asking for more
humor - give it a silly voice or funny face
try to do whatever you were doing before the panic happened- or go do something you’d be doing if you weren’t panicking right now! This shows your brain and body that the panic doesn’t have to be the most important thing in the room right now
helpful resources for when you’re having a panic attack
Looking for ongoing support?
I’m Kate! I’m a licensed therapist who helps clients actually recover from chronic panic attacks, phobias, and anxiety disorders. As a former sufferer of panic attacks and agoraphobia, I get how intense and out of control this can feel. Accepting and allowing panic and anxiety is hard and takes practice, but it is how we actually recover from this fear and take back our lives.
If you’re interested in one-on-one therapy, click here to schedule a free consultation with me. I offer virtual sessions for clients located in IN, MI, DC, VA, & MD.
If you’re not looking for therapy but would still like support, check out my blogs and videos here and my other favorite anxiety recovery resources here.