What is the best way to calm down when having a panic attack?

In my experience, the worst thing you can do when you're having a panic attack is to try and prevent it from happening. For me, it just makes me panic more. What has worked for me is "riding the wave" and by that I mean, allowing yourself to feel the feelings pass over you, while continuing to imagine yourself getting to a calm place. Another suggestion is to write down your safe places, spaces, and objects - keep the list on you and look at it when you're feeling panicked. The reminder can sometimes bring us a bit of joy in the midst of a hard situation.

The earth, air, and water technique is incredibly helpful. While many techniques require you to register something emotionally, or depend on specific individuals, the E,A, &W technique is based on the physiological FACTS, and deals with the science of your brain rather than feelings. In short, it helps you to calm your body down so that you can begin to get your mind under control as well. Earth: What's around you? Identify objects, their shapes and colors and textures, and where they are in relativity to yourself. Air: Breathe. Breathe in deeply through your nose and out through your mouth. Water: This is gonna sound gross. I was skeptical at first myself, but trust me. It works. Make saliva in your mouth. The science behind this, though I can't recall the terminology, is that the part of your brain that panics and your digestive system can't work at the same time. So when you make saliva, you start up your digestive system. When you start up your digestive system, your body is physically incapable of panicking. You'll probably still feel a little shaky, but you're on the path to calming down.

When I have a panic attack and I'm not home, I usually try to change my focus to something of the outside, like a noise, a smell something that distracts me for a while from whatever is causing the panic attack or the panic attack itself. You can try to focus on your breathing too, trying to make it regular and slower. This way, not only you're focusing on something else and feel that you have control over your body but also physically calm down. I have my own personal version of a breathing exercise: I try to imagine that my lungs are full with negativity, a bad air, I imagine it's black, and it's what causing the anxiety. Then when I inhale, I'm inhaling good air, clean, positive air, and it can have any nice color you want, even your favorite color, for me that is soothing and relaxing blue. When I exhale, the bad air and the negativity goes out. Gradually, the good air replaces the bad air and this really calms me down. the better you can imagine the bad air coming out of the inside of your lungs and being replaced with the good air, the best it works. If I'm at home, listening to my favorite music usually helps a lot too.

There is no best way to calm down when having a panic attack, because everyone is different and their experiences with different techniques and exercises are different. This means that doing your research and finding a technique for you is the best course of action. Try exercising before you do something that may trigger your anxiety, if you find the sound of something calming, stick it on your Ipod and listen. One of the exercises that really works for me is being conscious of your breathing.

I have found that the best way to calm down when having a panic attack is to listen to relaxing music, deep breathing, and taking a hot bath if I can

Start taking deep breaths.And say yourself that there's nothing to scare.Sit somewhere comfortable and let your feelings go.Don't fight with them.Let your mind free.Maybe a relaxing music help you too

Focus on the basic of life. On the first thing you do when you're born... Breathe..... Breathe slowly, calmly, don't force it, let it happen naturally, gently control and guide your breathing and just focus on being able to listen to your heartbeat.

The best way to begin is careful breathing! Other things come into play as well, such as finding a peaceful environment and relaxing your body. Many like to use music and other factors to calm themselves down.

Deep breathing is a technique I have learnt to use and it almost always work for me - at least in some degree. Experiencing a panic attack is scary and can even feel life threatening. Taking deep breaths provides oxygen to your brain which in turn will help calm you down and help you to focus. The following link may be helpful: http://www.nlppati.com/articles/end-panic-attacks.shtml

I have found that, doing the simplest of actions like breathing slowly and closing my eyes. Helps so insanely much and after I have calmed myself down that way I either listen to music or draw. Within time of doing those things and not overthinking about what is going on in my life, I know Ill be okay.