Panic and anxiety can show up out of nowhere, and when they do, it’s hard to think clearly, let alone know what to do.
Your body goes into survival mode, your thoughts start racing, and everything can feel completely out of control. Of course, the truth is that you don’t need to fix everything in that moment. You just need something solid to focus on—something that brings you back to the present and helps you ride the wave without falling under it. These are the things that actually help when anxiety hits in real time.
1. The fact that it’s temporary
It doesn’t feel that way in the moment, but no panic attack lasts forever. Your nervous system isn’t broken; it’s just reacting as if there’s a threat. And like all storms, it will pass. You don’t have to solve it. You just have to get through the peak. Sometimes simply reminding yourself, “This won’t last forever,” is enough to keep you from spiralling. You’re not stuck like this—you’re just in a moment that’s passing through.
2. Slowing your breathing down
When you’re panicking, your breath gets shallow and fast. The problem is, that fast breathing tells your brain something’s wrong, so your brain ramps up the panic even more. Slowing it down helps stop that feedback loop. You don’t need to count or be perfect. Just focus on longer exhales than inhales. Think “in for three, out for five.” Even a few rounds can take the edge off that panicky rush in your chest.
3. Something around you that’s completely neutral
It helps to fixate on something boring and real—the way your jumper feels, the edge of a table, the smell in the air. Picking one thing and observing it in detail brings your brain out of the spiral and back into your body. You’re not distracting yourself; you’re grounding yourself. You’re helping your mind find proof that you’re not in danger, even if your body’s acting like you are.
4. Letting your body move
If you feel like you can’t sit still, that’s okay. Your body might need to burn off some of that fight-or-flight energy. Let it. Walk around, shake your hands, stretch, pace the hallway—movement helps release what your nervous system is holding. You don’t need a routine or a plan. Just let the energy move through you instead of bottling it up. Even a minute of movement can shift how trapped you feel.
5. Loosening anything that feels tight.
It sounds small, but unclenching your jaw, dropping your shoulders, or loosening a waistband can interrupt the panic cycle. When your body softens, even just a little, your brain starts to get the message that it’s safe to calm down. This works best when done gently. You’re not forcing calm—you’re inviting it. It tells your system, “We’re okay now,” and that invitation helps lower the alarm.
6. Naming what’s happening out loud
Sometimes just saying, “This is anxiety,” can take away a bit of its power. It separates you from the experience. You’re not anxiety—you’re someone who’s having anxious thoughts and sensations right now. That kind of naming brings in clarity. It helps interrupt the fear that something worse is happening, like a heart attack or a full breakdown. Words bring order, and even simple ones can make a difference.
7. Noticing what’s actually safe right now
Look around. Are you physically safe in this moment? Can you breathe? Are you with someone you trust? Reminding yourself that your environment isn’t dangerous can help your body catch up to the truth. Panic doesn’t come from logic, but logic can still help ground you. It doesn’t solve the feeling, but it can give you something steady to hold onto while you ride it out.
8. Letting someone know, even with just one word
You don’t have to explain or make it sound pretty. Sometimes just texting someone “I’m panicking” or saying “I’m not okay right now” out loud is enough. It breaks the isolation and gives your nervous system some backup. It doesn’t mean you need to be fixed. Just knowing someone’s on the other end can help your body settle faster. Panic thrives in silence—saying something helps bring it out of the shadows.
9. Reminding yourself that this has happened before, and passed
If this isn’t your first experience with panic, it helps to recall that. Think back to another time when it felt unbearable, but you came out the other side. You’ve survived this before, and you’re doing it again now. Your brain might be telling you this time is different or worse. It’s not. It’s just louder. However, your body knows the way through. You’ve already walked it before.
10. Picking one small next step
Don’t worry about fixing your whole day. Just choose the next tiny thing—get a glass of water, open a window, take off a jumper, sit down, stand up. One physical action creates movement, and movement breaks the stuck feeling. You don’t need to climb out all at once. You just need a foothold. A little choice that reminds you you’re still in charge of something.
11. Tuning in to the bottom of your feet
This might sound odd, but it works. Bring your attention down to where your feet are touching the floor. Feel the texture. Press them down. Wiggle your toes if you want to. Anxiety pulls you up into your chest and head. Feeling your feet helps bring you back down into your body, into the present moment. It’s grounding in the most literal way.
12. Giving yourself permission to stop “functioning”
You don’t have to keep pretending you’re fine. You don’t need to finish the task, reply to the message, or power through the meeting. If you need to pause, step outside, or lie down for five minutes, that’s allowed. Pushing through panic can sometimes make it worse. Giving yourself permission to take a break, even for a minute, can help your system reset faster than if you force yourself to carry on.
13. Accepting the discomfort without needing to like it
This part is tough. Panic is horrible. But resisting it or panicking about the panic often makes it feel bigger. If you can acknowledge the feeling and let it be there, it often loses some of its grip. You don’t have to like it or welcome it—you just stop fighting it for a second. That pause is where a bit of peace starts to return, even if it’s messy or slow.
14. Trusting that it will end, even if it doesn’t feel like it
The scariest part of panic is the feeling that it might never stop. But it always does. Always. It passes whether you do everything “right” or not. The more you learn to ride it, the more confidence you build for the next time. That trust takes practice. But even reminding yourself that panic has a finish line—even if you can’t see it yet—can help you hold steady when everything inside is racing.
