Practical Tips for Managing Panic Attacks

A panic attack can feel sudden, intense, and frightening. The goal in the moment is not to “fix” everything at once. It is to help your body feel safer, one step at a time.

Start with your breathing

Try slow breathing that feels manageable. Breathe in through your nose, pause briefly, then breathe out longer than you breathed in.

Keep it simple:

• Breathe in for 3 counts

• Breathe out for 5 counts

• Repeat for one minute

  
  

Longer exhales can signal to the body that the danger has passed.

Ground yourself in the room

Panic attacks often pull attention inward. Grounding brings attention back to the present.

Name:

• 5 things you can see

• 4 things you can feel

• 3 things you can hear

• 2 things you can smell

• 1 thing you can taste

  
  

Say them out loud if you can. This gives the mind a steady task.

Use a calming phrase

Choose one short phrase before you need it. For example:

“This feels intense, but it will pass,” or "I've survuved worse than this."

Repeat it slowly. Panic rises and falls like a wave. A phrase can remind you that the feeling is temporary.

Know when to get support

Small tools work best when practised before panic starts. Pick one breathing exercise, one grounding exercise, and one phrase. Keep them simple, and use them often.

If fear of another attack starts changing how you live, support can help. Feel free to book a no charge 25-minute consultation call with me for in-person support in Guelph and across Ontario with online counselling!

Have a question you think would make a great blog post that I could answer? Send me a message at collabpsy@gmail.com and I could address it next time!