It’s normal to feel a jolt of panic every now and then. Maybe you narrowly avoid a fender bender, or you suddenly remember something important you forgot to do and have to scramble to fix it. Your heart pounds, your body floods with adrenaline, and then a few minutes later, it passes.
If you struggle with anxiety, you may have experienced something far more intense than that quick jolt: a panic attack. A panic attack is a sudden episode of overwhelming fear, and while you’re in the middle of one, it can genuinely feel like you’re dying. That’s part of what makes panic attacks so disorienting.
People sometimes end up in the emergency room, convinced something is physically wrong. Even people who live with anxiety every day don’t always recognize what’s happening to them in the moment.
Here’s how to tell when what you’re experiencing is a panic attack.
What a Panic Attack Feels Like
Panic attacks bring on both physical and psychological symptoms, and they show up fast.
Physically, you might notice:
- A racing heart or heart palpitations
- Tightness or pain in your chest
- Trouble catching your breath
- Dizziness or a spinning sensation
- Trembling
- Numbness in your extremities or face
- Nausea
- Sweating, or feeling suddenly cold
Emotionally, you might feel:
- A deep sense of impending doom
- Like you’re losing control
- Convinced you’re dying
- Outside of yourself or your surroundings
- A strong urge to escape wherever you are
How This Differs From Everyday Anxiety
Anxiety tends to run at a lower level in the background of your life, rising and falling over weeks or months. A panic attack looks nothing like that. It’s sudden, intense, and time-limited, generally lasting somewhere between five and thirty minutes, with symptoms peaking within the first ten minutes before starting to ease.
Three Questions to Ask Yourself
How fast did it come on, and how fast did it fade? Panic attacks arrive suddenly and pass just as suddenly.
How many symptoms are you dealing with at once? If you can check off several items from the list above happening together, that points strongly to a panic attack.
Does your body respond to grounding techniques? If slowing your breathing or focusing on your senses brings real relief, that’s another sign you’re dealing with a panic attack and not a medical emergency.
What to Do in the Moment
A few techniques can help calm your body down while a panic attack runs its course.
Try deep breathing. Slowly inhale through your nose, as deeply as you can, and hold it for a moment. Then exhale even more slowly through your mouth, for longer than you inhaled, and pause again before your next breath. This slows your heart rate and helps bring you back into your body.
Engage your senses. Look around you and find items in your field of vision for each color of the rainbow. Eat a piece of sour candy or a strong mint and savor the taste. Grounding yourself this way pulls your attention away from the fear and back into the present moment.
Repeat a mantra. Pick a short phrase to repeat to yourself, like “I’m safe” or “This will pass.” You can also picture something you’re looking forward to and hold that image in your mind until the intensity fades.
When to Reach Out for Support
An occasional panic attack during a stretch of high stress is one thing. Regular panic attacks that interrupt your work, relationships, or daily life are another, and that’s a sign it’s time to get some help.
At Awaken Counseling, we work with people to get to the root of what’s fueling their panic attacks and build a plan for managing anxiety long-term. Book a complimentary consultation today to get started.
