Calm the Storm: Panic Attacks Explained & How to Cope

Panic Attacks: What’s Happening In Your Body And How To Cope (Real Talk)

I’m guessing you’re here because your heart sometimes bolts out of nowhere, your chest tightens, your vision fuzzes, and a loud thought hits: “I’m not okay.” First, breathe. You are not broken. A person having a panic attack is dealing with a perfectly human body alarm that got a little too loud. It’s intense, it’s scary, and it will crest and pass even when it doesn’t feel like it.

At Transcending Psychiatry, we sit with people during those loud minutes and help them build quiet minutes again. This guide is the same way we talk in session: zero judgment, lots of practical panic attacks coping skills you can use anywhere (at your desk, in a checkout line, during nighttime panic attacks at 2 a.m.).

What A Panic Surge Feels Like (From The Inside Out)

Picture your body like a smoke alarm. It’s designed to overreact because missing a real fire would be worse. During a spike:

• Heart & breathing race. Your body is preparing to run or fight.

• Vision changes. You might get tunnel vision or blur, yes, panic attack vision is a thing.

• Head rush or a floating feeling. Over-breathing can drop CO₂; many people ask, “Do panic attacks make you dizzy?” The sensation is real and temporary.

• Stomach flips. Blood moves away from digestion, which explains panic attacks and stomach cramps, nausea, and urgent bathroom trips.

• Shakes, tingles, hot/cold flashes, sweating. That’s adrenaline doing its job.

There’s also the quieter version: an internal panic attack. From the outside, you look fine, but your chest is fireworks. Both are panicked. Both deserve care.

Sometimes the alarm leaks out as panic attack, anger, snapping, irritability, or an urge to bolt. That’s not you “being mean.” It’s your nervous system choosing “fight” instead of “freeze.” Knowing this helps you choose kinder panic attack strategies in the moment.

Talk To Yourself Like You Would To A Friend

The fastest shift starts with one honest sentence:

“This is a panic surge. It’s loud, not dangerous. It will rise and fall. I know what to do next.”

Say it out loud or in your head. You’re not trying to “positive-think” your way out; you’re giving your brain a map.

A Do-Anywhere Plan To Calm A Panic Attack

Think “steady, not perfect.” These are practical calming strategies for panic attacks you can learn on calm days and use on loud ones.

1) Soften + Slow (about 60–120 seconds)

• Unclench your jaw. Drop your shoulders. Loosen your hands.

• Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds, out through your mouth for 6.

• Whisper (or think): longer out than in.

This simple rhythm is a powerful tool for panic attacks because breath controls the body's alarm volume.

2) One Helpful Line (every 20–30 seconds)

• Try: “Waves rise and fall.” or “I’ve done this before.”

• Keep it short and believable. That’s real-life cognitive therapy for panic attacks, not a pep talk, a fact.

3) Re-Orient Your Senses (60–90 seconds)

• Feel your feet press the floor.

• Touch something cool (mug, railing, countertop).

• Pick one object across the room; trace its outline with your eyes.

These tiny moves are effective interventions for panic attacks because they pull attention out of fear thoughtsinterventions for panic attacks interventions for panic attacksand back into the room.

4) Choose The Next Small Action

• If you need space, walk slowly to fresh air or a quieter corner.

• If you can stay, do one doable task: pay the cashier, send the quick reply.

• Either path is a valid panic attack coping. You’re steering, not fleeing.

Repeat steps 1–3 if the wave swells again. You aren’t forcing calm; you’re teaching your body how to ride it.

Symptom-By-Symptom Coping Skills

• Dizzy/light-headed? Lower your chin a touch, breathe 4 in / 6 out. Tell yourself, “This is a CO₂ wobble; I’m safe.”

• Tunnel/blurred vision? Fix your gaze on a stable object and breathe slowly until the edges return.

• Stomach cramps/nausea? Sit tall (don’t curl), slow-breathe, sip water or mint tea if available.

• Nighttime panic attacks? Click on a low light, sit up, 1–2 minutes of 4/6 breathing, read a neutral paragraph (recipe, manual). If it returns, repeat rather than wrestling in the dark.

• Internal panic attack? Same steps. No one has to see it for your skills to work.

These are simple coping mechanisms for panic attacks that travel anywhere.

What Actually Helps Long Term (CBT + Practice)

You’ll see many names: CBT for panic attacks, cognitive therapy for panic attacks, but the heart is the same:

1.     Understand the body map. Panic becomes less scary when you know what each sensation means.

2.     Learn coping techniques for panic attacks (like the steps above) on calm days.

3.     Face tiny triggers on purpose. One elevator floor. A short line. Jog in place for 30 seconds to rehearse a fast heartbeat while you breathe slowly. This is how confidence grows, and overcoming panic attacks starts to feel real.

Can anyone promise how to stop panic attacks forever? Honestly no. But this mix consistently reduces how often they happen and how hard they hit. That’s a life change you can feel.

Does Exercise Help? What About Medication?

Does exercise help panic attacks?

Yes, especially steady, moderate movement (walking, easy cycling, swimming). It burns off leftover adrenaline and teaches your body a calmer rhythm. If sprints feel too close to panic, keep it gentle at first.

Medicine for panic disorder

Some people do best with a thoughtful combo: therapy + skills + medication (like an SSRI/SNRI). At Transcending Psychiatry, we decide this with you. Medication should never replace coping skills for panic attacks; it should make learning easier and relapse less likely.

Two Weeks To “I Can Handle This”

Here’s a kind, realistic plan that builds panic attack coping skills without overwhelming you.

Daily (2–3 minutes total)

• Morning: 60 seconds of 4-in / 6-out breathing.

• Evening: same before bed.

• Once during the day: a mini exposure to one tiny avoided thing (one elevator stop, a short checkout line) while you use your breath.

Twice A Week (10–15 minutes)

• Make a “sensations list” (racing heart, warm face, shaky hands).

• Safely recreate a mild version (jog in place 30 seconds, hold a warm mug, wall sit) and breathe slowly while it’s happening. Jot what you learned. This is panic attacks CBT in action.

When A Spike Hits

• Run the four-step plan. Every time you do, you win back minutes from your day. That’s how to conquer panic attacks, not by force, but by repetition.

Ready To Feel Safe In Your Own Body Again?

At Transcending Psychiatry, we personalize everything: the breath pace that feels natural, the words that actually land for you, the exposures that create winsnot dread. We plan for the real stuff: nighttime panic attacks, crowded places, work days, and even those moments when panic attack anger pops up. And when it fits your goals, we’ll talk through medicine for panic disorder as part of a whole-person plan.

Book a compassionate panic consultation with Transcending Psychiatry. We’ll map your triggers, teach personalized panic attack coping skills, and build a step-by-step plan using panic attacks and CBT with in-person services in New Jersey, along with Telehealth services in both New Jersey and New York.