This is a practical plan for moments when panic rises quickly. It is educational and cannot diagnose the cause of symptoms. Panic attacks can feel frightening and can include body sensations such as a racing heart, breathlessness, dizziness, trembling, nausea, or chest tightness. If symptoms are new, severe, unusual, linked with fainting or injury, or could be a medical emergency, seek urgent medical help.
If there may be immediate danger, or you feel unable to keep yourself safe, contact local emergency services or crisis support now. In Ireland, call 112 or 999 in an emergency.
1. Name what may be happening
Say quietly: this may be panic. It feels intense, but I can take the next minute slowly.
2. Slow the pace
Let your shoulders drop. Breathe gently and steadily. A longer, softer out-breath may be easier than trying to take a very deep breath.
3. Reconnect with the room
Look for ordinary details around you: colours, sounds, textures, temperature, and the feeling of your feet on the floor.
If this could be a medical emergency
Panic can mimic medical symptoms. Do not assume every frightening body sensation is panic. Seek urgent medical help if chest pain, breathlessness, weakness, collapse, confusion, injury, severe allergic symptoms, substance use, or a new and unusual symptom pattern could point to a medical problem.
A five-minute panic attack plan
- Check immediate safety. If you are driving, using equipment, crossing a road, or in another risky situation, move to the safest available option first.
- Stop arguing with the panic. Try not to prove that it is harmless in the middle of the wave. Say: this is intense, and I can wait it out one minute at a time.
- Breathe steadily. Put one hand on your abdomen if that helps. Breathe in gently, then breathe out slowly. Keep the rhythm comfortable; do not force breath-holding if that makes you more anxious.
- Use the room as an anchor. Name five things you can see, four things you can feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste or imagine tasting.
- Reduce escape pressure if it is safe. If the place is safe, stay a little longer instead of leaving immediately. This can help your body learn that panic can rise and fall without escape.
- Choose one small next action. Sit down, drink water, send a brief message, step outside for air, or continue what you were doing slowly. Keep it simple.
After the panic has eased
The body can feel tired, shaky, embarrassed, or watchful after panic. A useful follow-up is brief and practical, not a long interrogation of yourself.
- Write down where you were, what you noticed first, what helped even a little, and what you did next.
- Eat, drink water, rest, or move gently if your body needs it.
- Notice avoidance: is there something you now feel tempted never to do again?
- Plan one small return step if avoidance is starting to grow.
- Talk with a GP or mental health professional if attacks repeat or begin to limit your life.
Fill-in plan
| My early signs | For example: tight chest, fast thoughts, checking my pulse, wanting to leave. |
|---|---|
| My grounding phrase | This is panic. I can slow down. I do not have to solve everything now. |
| Breathing that helps | A comfortable steady rhythm, with a softer out-breath. |
| People I can contact | A trusted person, GP, therapist, local urgent support, or emergency services if needed. |
| One small next step | Stay a little longer, walk slowly, drink water, or return to one ordinary task. |
When to seek more help
Consider professional help if panic attacks repeat, you live in fear of the next one, you avoid travel, shops, work, social situations, or public places, you rely on alcohol or drugs to cope, or panic appears together with depression, trauma symptoms, self-harm thoughts, or major life disruption.
Panic attacks
Read more about panic symptoms, panic cycles, and psychotherapy for panic.
Anxiety
Understand wider anxiety patterns, avoidance, reassurance, and possible therapy support.
Find Help
Use broader support routes, urgent-help guidance, and next steps if you are unsure where to begin.
Make an appointment
Book a psychotherapy or counselling appointment in Dublin or online where appropriate.
Sources and further reading
This resource was last reviewed on May 3, 2026. It draws on current public guidance from HSE, NHS, and MedlinePlus, together with clinical caution about urgent physical symptoms and crisis risk.
- HSE: Panic attacks
- HSE: Ten ways to fight your fears
- NHS: Panic disorder
- NHS: Breathing exercises for stress
- MedlinePlus: Panic disorder
Frequently asked questions
What should I do during a panic attack?
If you are physically safe, pause, remind yourself this may be panic, slow your breathing, focus on the room around you, and wait for the wave to pass. Seek urgent medical help if symptoms could be a medical emergency or feel new, severe, or unsafe.
Can breathing exercises stop panic attacks?
Breathing exercises may help some people feel calmer and less caught in panic. They work best when practised at calmer times, and they are not a substitute for medical or professional help when needed.
When should I get professional help for panic attacks?
Consider professional help if panic attacks repeat, you avoid places or activities because of fear of panic, symptoms interfere with work or relationships, or you are using alcohol, drugs, or other risky coping methods.
What should I do after a panic attack?
After a panic attack, give your body time to settle, write down what happened briefly, notice any safety behaviours or avoidance, and choose one small next step rather than trying to solve everything immediately.