Panic attack: what to do when it hits
Your heart pounds, you can’t get enough air, your head spins, and it feels like you’re about to die or lose your mind. A panic attack is one of the most frightening experiences there is. But it has one important property: it passes.
Panic is frightening, but not dangerous to your heart
Edmund Bourne, author of the well-known The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook, answers the biggest fear directly: there is no evidence that panic attacks cause heart attacks. However uncomfortable, a panic attack does not harm your heart.
Bourne also advises getting checked once: similar symptoms can come from thyroid problems, heart rhythm disorders, caffeine and other stimulants, or withdrawal from alcohol or sedatives. Once a doctor has ruled these out, it’s easier to stay calmer about the next attack.
Check yourself: GAD-7 anxiety test — 7 questions, 2 minutes, no sign-up.
An attack is time-limited
Bourne explains that during an attack the body gets a surge of adrenaline. If you let the sensations be and don’t fight them, most of that adrenaline is gone within three to five minutes. In most cases panic peaks and starts to subside within a few minutes.
What drags an attack out is “second fear” — frightening thoughts about the sensations themselves: “here it comes again,” “what if I lose control,” “I have to get out now.” They intensify the symptoms, and the symptoms trigger more frightening thoughts.
Talk it through with Lev, our AI psychologist for emotions and anxiety. Free to start, no sign-up. It remembers your context, and you can stop anytime.
Talk to LevWhat to say to yourself in the moment
Bourne suggests choosing a few calming statements in advance and repeating one of them in the first minutes, together with deep belly breathing:
- “This isn’t comfortable, but I can accept it.”
- “I can be anxious and still deal with this.”
- “This isn’t an emergency.”
- “I’ll let my body do its thing — this will pass.”
If one statement stops working, switch to another.
Calm your body fast: cold water and a long exhale
Marsha Linehan’s dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) includes a skill for very intense emotions: hold your breath and put your face in cold water, or hold a cold pack on your eyes and cheeks for about 30 seconds. Cold water slows your heart rate.
Linehan’s important caution: if you have a heart condition, a low pulse from medication, or take beta-blockers, check with your doctor before using this. Slow breathing with a long exhale is safe for almost everyone.
One small step: prepare in advance
- Save two or three statements that feel right to you on your phone.
- Practice slow belly breathing for five minutes at calm moments — it will work more easily during an attack.
- If attacks keep coming, see a doctor and a therapist: panic responds well to treatment.
When to get more help
If this is your first attack, if chest pain feels different from usual, or you have a heart condition, call emergency services — don’t try to guess. If attacks keep happening and you start avoiding places and activities, see a therapist: cognitive behavioral therapy works well for panic disorder. If you have thoughts of harming yourself or not wanting to live, call your local emergency number right away or find a free helpline at findahelpline.com.
Talk it through with Lev, our AI psychologist for emotions and anxiety. Free to start, no sign-up. It remembers your context, and you can stop anytime.
Talk to LevQuestions
Can you die from a panic attack?
A panic attack itself isn’t dangerous to your heart, as Edmund Bourne writes. But if symptoms are new or different from usual, get checked by a doctor, and call emergency services for severe chest pain.
How long does a panic attack last?
Usually it peaks and starts to ease within a few minutes. It lasts longer when you fight it and frighten yourself with thoughts about the symptoms.
Can AI help with panic attacks?
It can help you prepare your phrases and plan, work out what triggers attacks, and support you between them. It isn’t medical care: for a first attack or severe chest pain you need a doctor.
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Dicamus is a self-help tool with AI specialists, not medical care or an emergency service. Updated 2026-10-16.
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