How do I get my breathing back under control again when I start to panic?
bluefunambulist
on
Aug 4, 2015
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Look around you and make note of five things in your surroundings. Taking in the details of things around you can help calm you and focus your senses.
anzuaoix
on
Oct 22, 2019
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Breath in for four beats, hold your breath for seven beats, and breath out for eight beats. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Doing this resets your brain, like hitting a "factory settings" option on a phone. Your anxiety will dissipate quickly. Do this every time you're panicking or can't sleep, as it helps with that too.
Of course, if it's something like an asthma attack, it would be better to reach for your inhaler. There's also several thousand other breathing exercises for you to try.
Speaking from experience, the exercise stated above works time and time again. Be sure to give it a try.
Anonymous
on
Jun 2, 2020
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You can get your breathing back under control when you start to panic through using a number of coping mechanisms. I recommend to start by taking deep breaths and counting to ten. After that, look around, say five things you can see. I can see my bed, a blanket, my pillow, my kindle, a purse. List four things you can touch. List four things you can touch now, three things you can smell, two things you can taste, and one thing that you just noticed while I was distracting you from your moment of panic :) Grab a pillow and squeeze it. Sit somewhere you are comfortable. Tell yourself it will be okay!
PippaCalisto
on
Mar 20, 2015
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Concentrate on your stomach while breathing. Take a deep breath in, hold it for a few seconds, and let it out for a few seconds. Keep doing this over and over, focusing on the sound of your breath, and how the air fills your lungs.
zoeyglee
on
Apr 3, 2015
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Take deep breaths. This can help a lot. When you are nervous, your heart will be even faster causing your breathing to increase speed. Relax, close your eyes, and take deep breaths until your breathing is normal again.
1997Turtle
on
Apr 29, 2015
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do army breathing 4 in , 4 hold, 4 out. and repeat. you could also try progressive muscle relaxation which i find helps and online will have the bes description, but its tensing muscles then releasing in a wave sequence from toes up.
Hanna195
on
Jul 21, 2015
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I good trick I found was taking deep breaths and holding it for a second. It is best to sit down in a quiet place or anywhere you can and close your eyes and just focus on your breathing, deep breaths and count them. Think of happy things :)
Clouder
on
Jul 26, 2015
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This can be really tough to do once you're actually in the midst (or onset) of a panic attack. One strategy I found helpful was to practice diaphragmatic (deep) breathing when my anxiety was lowest. If you practice breathing properly when you're calm, it will be easier to breathe properly when your anxiety rises. A few minutes a day can make a significant difference. Resting a hand on your stomach can also help as a physical cue to let your belly expand and draw each breath a bit deeper.
Remember, even if you don't get your breathing under control, the panic attack will still pass on its own.
Anonymous
on
Aug 10, 2015
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Take deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Breathe in for four, pause for four, breathe out for four and stop for four.
SquirrellyWonder
on
Aug 11, 2015
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Take a series of deep breaths. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. I have found that counting to ten as I exhale helps bring things back to normal.
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