What should you do if you have a panic attack alone in a public place?

Panic attacks can happen suddenly and can be scary. You can try and get to a "safe" spot and ride it out

Well what I usually do when I have a panic attack is find my anchor. Something that holds me down, that will calm me down like music and think about that or I think about someone.

Whatever you do, don't run -- even if you are really scared. I had the cops called on me once and they kept me cornered and interrogated me about my medications until my boyfriend came to pick me up (and I was just on an empty sidewalk). They said they thought I would run in front of cars, even though I explained that I was trying to get the adrenaline out of my system. I agree with the other posters: find a quiet place to sit and do some mindfulness exercises. Focus on anything nice: the breeze, the sunlight, cool tile, rough brick, smooth grass, even the smoothness of my own hair helps sometimes. Just know it will be over eventually, it will pass like any other storm. It helps if you can keep music with headphones around to block out any unwelcome sounds.

go into a bathroom, or any other private area. take deep, deep breaths, reassure yourself that everything is going to be okay. if you're in an open space, going under a roof helps. if it is serious, it would be a good idea to call a helpline.

Having a panic attack alone in a public place can be incredibly overwhelming. However, there are some actions you can take while you are going through the panic attack. * Focusing on your breathing: taking deep breaths in and out can reduce symptoms of panic * Recognizing you have a have a panic attack, that it is a temporary thing and it will pass * Trying some grounding/mindfulness exercises such as focusing on physical sensisations or focusing on a certain object * Thinkin about things that make you happy, trying to picture yourself there or take a walk, because exercise keeps your blood pumping