If You’ve Ever Had a Panic Attack, You Know How Alarming They Can Feel. Here's How to Steady Yourself...

If you’ve ever had a panic attack, you know how frightening it can feel. One moment you’re fine, and the next your body is flooded with fear signals so strong you feel convinced something is seriously wrong. Your heart races, your breath shortens, the room can feel unsteady, and a wave of dread sweeps over you without warning. Many people end up in the emergency room convinced they are having a heart attack only to be told, “It was a panic attack."

That doesn’t mean the fear wasn’t real. In the moment, panic feels as urgent and overwhelming as a medical emergency and the fight-or-flight response in the body has been truly activated. But here’s the hopeful part: panic attacks are far more common than most people realize, and with the right tools and support, they are also highly manageable and treatable.

At A New Hope Therapy Center, we regularly walk alongside adults and young people who are navigating panic attacks. Below are some important truths that may help you see panic in a new light, soften some of the fear, and offer ways to find steadiness when it strikes.

Panic Attacks feel Overwhelming but the Body Can't Stay in This State for Long

A panic attack is like your smoke alarm blaring when you have only burned toast. The system is doing its job; it is just going off too loudly and at the wrong time. Heart pounding, breath shallow, chest tight, dizziness, trembling, or even feeling detached from your surroundings are all common. Alongside the physical sensations, your mind often races to keep up, asking questions like: “What if I faint?” or "Am I dying?".

It can help to know that the body simply cannot stay in this state for long. Most panic attacks peak within about ten minutes and fade within twenty minutes. What often lingers is the exhaustion and the worry about when the next one might come, but the storm itself always passes. Sometimes just reminding yourself of this truth can make the wave feel a little less threatening as it moves through you.

Riding the Wave of Panic

When panic takes hold, it feels unstoppable. But there are gentle ways to soften the intensity and help signal safety to your nervous system:

• Breathe slowly and evenly: Imagine tracing the outline of a door frame with your breath — inhale as you move up the side, pause as you move across the top, and exhale as you move down the other side. This steady rhythm helps calm your body’s alarm system.

• Anchor your body: Press your feet firmly into the ground or your hands into a surface.

• Try the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise: Notice five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste. Moving through your senses in this way gives your mind something steady to focus on until the wave of panic begins to pass.

• Rest afterward: Allow yourself to recover, just as you would after running a sprint.

Panic Attacks Are Important Messengers (Even If We Don't Like The Delivery Method)

Even when panic feels sudden and random, it rarely comes out of nowhere. It is your body’s alarm system reacting too strongly, often after long-term stress, buried emotions, or traumas.

Sometimes it shows up in more predictable situations, such as during conflict or returning to a place where you have felt panic before. Other times, it barges in during quieter or even joyful moments, such as while you are resting at home, trying to fall asleep, or in the middle of a happy social gathering. This is part of what makes panic so unsettling.

Let's be real: no one welcomes panic. It feels loud, uncomfortable, and overwhelming. Yet beneath that rough delivery is a message: something in you needs care and compassion. When you can learn to hear panic as a signal rather than a danger, it begins to lose some of its power and can help you better tend to yourself.

Reclaiming Calm

Panic may shout loudly, but it does not have to run your life. With the right support, it can shift from something terrifying to something you can understand and manage. What once felt like a tidal wave can become a wave you know how to ride. And with the right support, many people find that panic attacks become less frequent, less intense, and can disappear altogether.

At A New Hope Therapy Center, we offer therapy for adults, teens, and children who are navigating panic and anxiety. You do not have to keep pushing through in silence or pretending everything is fine. With tools and support, panic can become less frightening, steadiness can return, and life can feel open again. If panic has been weighing on you or someone you love, we are here to help. Contact us today.

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A self-described geek, Maria Laquerre-Diego is a CEO and Owner who is committed to increasing access to mental health services and breaking down the stigma surrounding therapy services. As a therapist turned CEO, Maria has developed a unique perspective when it comes to mental health and the barriers surrounding mental health treatment. Influenced by her time at New Mexico State University in the Family and Consumer Science department and the University of New Hampshire’s Marriage and Family Therapy department, Maria has turned her dedication to giving back and supporting future generations of therapists. In addition to supporting mental health providers, Maria takes an active role in addressing the continued stigma of mental health services through the use of pop culture – everything from movies and television shows to superheroes and Disney characters. Maria has spoken about mental health at several local events, has served as an officer on professional boards, and has provided training to clinicians all over the country while maintaining her and her family’s roots as Aggies! Outside of the office, Maria can be found spending time with her family and loved ones, exploring the world through travel, and creating cosplays for herself, her husband, and their two little ones. Maria is always happy to talk about Star Wars, Marvel, and mental health and can be contacted through her practice website www.anewhopetc.org