Controlling your panic attacks

Finding ways to cope

It's really normal to feel anxious sometimes. And lots of people experience panic attacks.

Panic attacks can make it seem hard to breathe. It could feel like you're going to pass out or even choke. Sometimes people feel sick or sweaty when they have a panic attack.

But however panic attacks affect you, there are ways to deal with them. You can learn how to control panic attacks. And we can help you find what works best for you.

3 ways to help control a panic attack:

Focus on your breathing
Take deep, slow breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth
Distract yourself
Count things, create a poem, imagine a safe place
Think positive thoughts

How to deal with panic attacks

Here are a few different techniques that can help you keep panic attacks under control. They might not work for everyone – you might have to find the one that’s right for you. And often the more you practise them, the better they'll work. It can also take time to find what works for you.

Slow down your breathing

Try to breathe slowly. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Don’t hold your breath. Try to take controlled breaths instead – where you focus on making each breath deep and slow. Do this for about a minute, then go back to normal breathing.

Put your hands on your stomach. Breathing normally, move your stomach muscles in and out as you breathe while keeping your shoulders still. This helps make your breathing deeper. It helps to stand up when you do this.

Relax your body

Focus on relaxing different muscles in your body. Start from your toes and work up to your head. Think about relaxing each one in turn.

Distract yourself

To help cope with anxiety or panic attacks you can:

count things around you like chairs, windows or pens
make a poem in your head
think of the words to your favourite song
imagine a place where you feel safe and calm – think about how it feels, what it looks like and how it smells
count backwards from 100
work out a times table you’ve never learned.

Think positively

Remind yourself of these things:

this is just anxiety
anxiety can’t harm me
it will pass
I am in control.

Talk about it

Panic attacks are really common. So you shouldn’t ever feel like you have to deal with them on your own. If you don’t talk to anyone, it can build up and feel like a big thing to deal with.

Tell a friend or an adult you trust. It can help to tell someone at your school too. They can support you if it happens at school.

Write it down

Keep a diary of what makes you anxious. And keep writing down any ideas you have about how to cope. Make a note of anything that has calmed you down. You can create your own locker to use our mood journal to see how things change for you over time.

just
BREATHE…

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What to do after a panic attack

If you have a panic attack, you might not want to be in the place where it happened again. But if it’s safe, try to go back. This can help you feel in control.

It might take a little while until you feel ready to do this. That’s okay. But try it. It can help.

feeling
argh!

If things are getting too much, talk to a Childline counsellor

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Other places that can help

YoungMinds is a great place to learn more about mental health and find out what support you could get
TheMix has info about anxiety and panic attacks, and how to help someone who suffers from them.