Panic attacks are so scary that many people take themselves to the emergency room the first time they have them. Once you identify you're having a panic attacks try one of these things:

1. Physiological Sigh - OR ANY OTHER BREATHWORK (check out my Tiktok and Instagram linked at the top of every page)

This is a quick nervous system reset backed by science.

How to do it:

• Inhale once through your nose

• Then take a second, quick sniff in (without exhaling)

• Slowly exhale through your mouth, long and steady

• Repeat 2–3 times

This helps offload carbon dioxide and signals safety to your brain.

2. Ground with 5-4-3-2-1

A classic for a reason. It brings you back into your body and out of the spiral.

• 5 things you can see

• 4 things you can touch

• 3 things you can hear

• 2 things you can smell

• 1 thing you can taste

Try narrating these out loud to anchor your mind.

3. Temperature Shift

Your vagus nerve responds to cold.

• Splash cold water on your face

• Hold an ice cube

• Use a cooling towel on your neck

• put an icepack over your sternum (on your chest)

This can disrupt the panic loop by calming your physiological response.

4. Smell a Strong Scent (Like Essential Oils)

Scent is deeply connected to the emotional brain—and certain smells can signal safety to your nervous system.

Try keeping a small vial of lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, or citrus essential oil with you. When panic hits:

• Take a gentle inhale

• Focus on the scent, the temperature of the air, and how it moves through your nose

• Repeat as needed

The strong, familiar smell can help bring you back into your body and create a calming anchor point in the chaos.

5. Engage the Body

If you feel frozen, move—walk, stretch, shake out your hands. If you feel overwhelmed, slow down—try left nostril breathing or gently rock side to side.

Movement gives your body something to do and helps discharge adrenaline.

Walking naturally engages both hemispheres of the brain because of the alternating arm and leg movement. It soothes the nervous system, improves emotional regulation, supports mental clarity and problem solving and helps reduce the intensity of anxiety and intrusive thoughts.

🌀 Bonus: Pop a Sour Candy

It might sound strange—but sucking on something intensely sour (like a Warhead or sour gummy) can snap your brain out of a panic loop.

Why it works: The sudden burst of flavor activates your salivary glands and sensory nerves, grounding you quickly in the here and now. It’s a simple sensory “shock” that tells your body, hey, we’re not in danger right now.

Keep a few in your bag, car, or desk drawer—you never know when it might help.

Final Thought: You’re Not Powerless

Panic attacks feel consuming, but they don’t last forever. Most peak within 10 minutes and resolve in under 30. When you have tools in your pocket, you start to take your power back—not by fighting the panic, but by responding to it with skill and compassion.

Want more support managing anxiety or panic?

I help people learn to decode what their anxiety is trying to say—and how to regulate their nervous system with confidence.

👉 [Book Your Free 15-Min Call]Let’s see if therapy with me is the support you’ve been looking for.