• Anxiety

How to Help Someone Having a Panic Attack: A Guide to Providing Calm and Support

Watching someone experience a panic attack can be very worrying, especially if you’re unsure of how you can help. 

The sudden surge of fear, racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, and sense of impending doom can make the person feel as if they’re losing control. 

For moments like this, your presence, support, and patience can make a big difference for them. Be sure to listen to the person having a panic attack about what they need before making any assumptions.

In this article, we’ll offer practical steps to help you stay calm, respond empathetically, and use effective techniques to bring them back to a sense of safety.

What Does Someone Having a Panic Attack Look Like?

Knowing the physical, emotional, and behavioral signs of an episode helps you to know how to best respond.

 Common signs of a panic attack include:

• Hyperventilation

• Sweating

• Trembling or shaking

• Restlessness

• Pacing

• Crying or shouting

• Avoiding eye contact or closing the eyes

• Clinging to someone

• Disorientation or confusion

Someone experiencing a panic attack may also say something similar to the following:

• “I can’t breathe!”: They may believe they are suffocating or not getting enough air, even if they are breathing.

• “I’m going to faint.”: Dizziness often gives them the impression they might lose consciousness, though fainting is rare during panic attacks.

• “Something is wrong with me.”: They might express concern about their health, fearing they are having a heart attack or stroke.

• “I need to get out of here.”: The overwhelming fear can result in a desire to flee or escape the situation.

How You Can Help Someone Having a Panic Attack

Helping someone during a panic attack requires calmness, empathy, and knowledge of specific techniques to guide them through the episode. Here are some tips to help you provide support and relief:

Remain calm and grounded

Be sure to remind yourself to stay calm and reassure the person that they are safe. If you start to panic, it may make the person’s anxiety worse.

Take a few deep breaths before engaging with the person and remind yourself that panic attacks — while distressing — are not life-threatening and will pass.

Approach the person with empathy and reassurance

Panic attacks can make a person feel isolated, scared, and out of control. Offering empathy can help reduce those feelings by creating a safe space for them.

Here are some simple sentences you could offer them in the situation to help them feel safe:

• “I’m here for you.”

• “You’re safe right now.”

• “I know this feels overwhelming, but it will pass.”

Avoid saying things like “calm down” or “it’s all in your head” — statements like these can come across as dismissive and won’t help the person experiencing the panic attack.

Guide them through breathing exercises 

Panic attacks often cause shortness of breath and hyperventilation. Hyperventilation is rapid breathing that can worsen symptoms like dizziness and chest pain. Controlled breathing helps the person slow down their body’s stress response.

To help someone experiencing a panic attack, you can gently say, “Let’s try to breathe together,” and then guide them through a breathing technique. 

The 4-7-8 breathing method is effective in calming both the mind and body. Here’s how it works:

1. Inhale through your nose for four seconds. Breathe deeply from your belly — not your chest — to allow more oxygen to enter the lungs.

2. Hold your breath for seven seconds. This step helps to slow the heart rate and gives the body time to absorb oxygen.

3. Exhale slowly through your mouth for eight seconds while making a wooshing sound — this helps release tension from the body.

4. Repeat the cycle three to four times and ask the person how they feel. You may want to continue this exercise until the person’s symptoms subside.

Use grounding techniques to bring them back to the present

Grounding techniques redirect the person’s focus from internal sensations and intense fear to external, real-world stimuli to bring them back to reality.

A method that’s been found effective during a panic attack, is the categories technique. It works by engaging the mind in a simple mental task — redirecting focus away from panic and into the present moment.

Start by asking the person to name items from a category. For example, this could be types of fruit, animals, countries, or colors. If the person is struggling to focus, gently help them get started by offering to do the exercise with them. Guide them through several rounds of this exercise until you notice their breathing slowing down and their body relaxing.

Let them know it’s okay if they can’t think of many answers — the act of participating matters, not the number of responses.

Help them challenge their anxious thoughts

When people experience panic attacks, they often have catastrophic thoughts like they’re dying or that they’re going to faint. Reassurance from you can help them reframe these thoughts.

Here are three things you can say to help:

1. Ask gently, “What are you feeling right now?”

2. Offer calming reminders like “This is your body’s way of trying to protect you, even though there’s no real threat.”

3. Help them focus on the present moment by saying, “Right now, you are safe.”

Encourage physical relaxation

Panic attacks often cause muscle tension in the person’s body. Physical relaxation techniques can help reduce this symptom.

One method you can recommend is the butterfly hug — a combination of gentle movement with self-soothing touch. This can help calm their nervous system, reduce muscle tension, and create a sense of security.

Steps to this exercise include:

1. Ask them to place their hands on opposite shoulders or upper arms, forming a butterfly shape with their arms.

2. Guide them to tap one shoulder gently — then the other at a slow, steady pace. You can model the movement by doing it yourself so they feel comfortable following along.

3. While they tap, suggest that they breathe in slowly through their nose and exhale through the mouth.

4. As they tap, encourage them to silently repeat calming phrases such as, “I am safe,” or, “This feeling will pass.”

5. Continue this exercise for one to two minutes and monitor how the person responds. If they seem calmer, you can gradually reduce the tapping or suggest they stop whenever they feel ready.

Another recommendation for easing muscle tension is progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) — this involves tightening muscles for five to 10 seconds before releasing them.

Offer water and space if needed

Hydration can ease the physical symptoms of a panic attack. Check with the person to see if they feel dehydrated. They may also prefer to move to a quieter space.

Ensure you respect their boundaries and allow them space if they prefer to be alone.

Stay with them until the panic attack passes

When someone is having a panic attack, knowing someone is there for them can help provide comfort and reduce feelings of isolation.

Stay present and offer gentle reassurance. Let them know it’s okay to feel whatever they’re feeling and avoid rushing them. Most panic attack symptoms take 10 to 30 minutes to subside — but this will vary from one person to another.

Discuss aftercare when the panic attack subsides

After their panic attack has passed, reflecting on what happened can help the person feel more in control and prepare for the future.

Consider asking the person how they’re feeling afterward and whether they want to talk about their experience. You can also provide reassurance that they are safe and let them know how proud you are that they brought themselves through it.

Gently encourage them to see a mental health professional if they experience frequent panic attacks, as this is a sign that they could have panic disorder (PD) or another anxiety-related condition.

Help them develop a long-term plan

Regular panic attacks may require long-term management strategies, so you might want to make some suggestions to the person about how to manage their panic attacks long-term.

You can also suggest that they keep grounding tools — such as a stress ball — with them, and encourage them to practice relaxation and deep breathing techniques in case they have another episode.

Additionally, you may want to recommend therapy options to them, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which is an effective treatment for managing panic attacks, especially for people with anxiety disorders.

Finally, encourage the person to see a healthcare professional who can evaluate them, determine whether there is an underlying cause for their panic attacks, and provide guidance for effective treatment options to prevent or reduce future episodes.

Where Can I Learn More About Managing Panic Attacks?

If you or someone close to you has concerns about anxiety, LifeMD can help. 

Through LifeMD, a team of healthcare professionals can answer your questions, provide tools for managing anxiety, and prescribe medications for panic attacks.

Visit our website to book an online appointment today or refer someone you know who needs help managing their anxiety.

LifeMD makes it easy to stay on top of your health because talking to a doctor, filling your prescriptions, getting your labs done—and more—are all easy and cost-effective. Come discover a healthcare solution built around you and your life.

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