Tips for managing panic attacks

Breathing techniques are subtle, and can distract you from your worries. Breathing to a steady rhythm will make you count, giving you something other than your thoughts to focus on. Try breathing in for six seconds, holding it for seven seconds, and breathing out for eight seconds, focusing on keeping your breath steady throughout.

This is a technique you can do wherever you are. It doesn’t draw attention to you, which can help if you feel embarrassed, and is easy to remember. If you’re struggling to sleep, it distracts your mind and might help you feel more relaxed and ready to drift off.

- Mary, 19

One breathing technique that I find works for me is picturing a square (or looking at something square-shaped around me) and tracing the four sides with my eyes while I breathe in through my nose for four seconds, hold it for four seconds, breathe out through my mouth for four seconds and hold it again for four seconds. Repeating this around ten times normally brings my breathing back to a more normal rate, and the counting helps give me something to focus on.

- Hannah, 23

With the mind focusing on anxiety, it is really difficult to think of anything else. This technique allows you to focus on other things, keeping the mind busy. Look around the room and find:

• five things you see
• four things you feel
• three things you hear
• two things you smell
• one thing you taste

If this is too easy, or after doing it you still feel out of control, go through the alphabet and find things beginning with each letter. This is impossible for other people to notice, meaning that you don’t need to feel embarrassed or as though others are watching.

- Mary, 19

Select a topic and list things that qualify to be in that category (e.g. marine animals, types of cake, football teams etc.). Try to name as many things as possible in one or two minutes, or try to think of one thing that fits in that category for each letter of the alphabet.

- Dhyana, 19

When I’m panicking, I find it helpful to purposely make an effort to feel my feet on the floor and press them into the floor; doing this helps me feel connected and grounded. This is a good exercise to do if you ever catch yourself feeling a bit ‘out of it’ or dizzy due to anxiety, which can then prevent more severe symptoms from happening.

- Lauren, 22

Something that helps me when I’m having a panic attack is putting my wrists or placing my face under cold running water. The shock of the cold water keeps me calm and distracts me from my thoughts.

- Laura, 25

Pick up and touch an item near you. Think about how it feels and describe the way it looks, being specific about colours and textures of the item. Rocks and crystals are really great examples of items but anything will suffice, even a pen.

- Dhyana, 19

One tactic for stopping a panic attack is to sing the lyrics to your favourite song and focus on the words and the tune. You can sing the song out loud or in your head. This can relax you, give you something to focus on, and singing also regulates your breathing, which helps with panic attacks.

- Daisy, 20

If you have pets and they’re nearby, sit with them, pet them and even talk to them. Concentrate on the feeling of your pet - are they soft, fluffy, smooth or spiky? Look at their markings and think about the things that make them unique and individual.

- Dhyana, 19

This is hard to do at the time, but try not to fight the panic attack. If this is your first attack, you may find this more difficult, but it’s so important to try. If this isn’t your first attack, remember you’ve been here before – and it will pass.

- Gabriella, 25

Even though this is sometimes a symptom of a panic attack, crying often helps me release any pent-up emotions or tension. Often, once I have cried, I feel better – almost as if a weight has been taken off my shoulders. So if you ever feel like you need to cry and let some emotions out, don’t hold back. It is healthy to cry.

- Lauren, 22