Seeing a friend, partner, or colleague suddenly gasp for air, shake, or say they are dying can be deeply unsettling. If you care about them, you probably feel a surge of fear and a strong urge to fix it right away. Learning how to help someone stop panic attack symptoms in real time can turn that helplessness into calm, practical support.
This guide walks you through what a panic attack is, how to tell if it might be something more serious, and specific words, actions, and grounding tools you can use. It also covers what to do afterward so the person you care about feels safe, respected, and not ashamed of what happened.
What a panic attack feels like and what it is not?
Panic attacks are intense bursts of fear or discomfort that peak within minutes, often with powerful physical sensations. People describe feeling like they are losing control, going crazy, or having a heart attack. According to Mayo Clinic, common symptoms include:
Racing or pounding heart
Shortness of breath or feeling like you cannot get enough air
Chest pain or tightness
Sweating, trembling, or shaking
Nausea, dizziness, or feeling unreal or detached
To the person panicking, these symptoms feel frighteningly real, even if no actual danger is present. Panic attacks themselves are generally not life threatening, but similar symptoms can signal medical emergencies. That is why your role is not to diagnose, but to stay calm, observe, and help them get appropriate care if needed.
It also helps to remember that a panic attack is a survival system misfire, not weakness or drama. Framing it this way keeps you in a compassionate, nonjudgmental mindset.
First priority: safety and quick assessment
Before you focus on how to help someone stop panic attack symptoms, start with one quiet internal question: Could this be a medical emergency? If you are unsure, it is safer to treat it as one and seek urgent help.
Consider emergency help right away if they have:
Sudden chest pain that radiates to jaw, arm, or back
Fainting, confusion, or difficulty speaking
Severe shortness of breath or choking sensation
Signs of stroke or heart attack, or a known cardiac condition
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If you can, ask brief, yes-or-no questions: “Have you felt this before? Do you have any heart or lung conditions?” Stay as calm and steady as you can so they can borrow your nervous system as a reference of safety.
If they say it feels like past panic attacks and there are no clear red-flag symptoms, you can shift toward reassurance, grounding, and gentle coaching. If anything feels off to you, err on the side of calling emergency services or consulting a medical professional, rather than trying to manage it alone.
Step-by-step: how to help someone stop panic attack in the moment
Once immediate medical danger seems unlikely, you can guide them through a simple structure: connect, contain, then calm.
1. Connect with presence
Move close enough to be supportive, but respect their personal space. Make gentle eye contact if they seem open to it. Speak slowly, with a steady, low-volume voice.
You might say:
“You are not alone. I am right here with you.”
“I can see this is really intense. We will ride this out together.”
Avoid asking lots of questions. In the peak of panic, their thinking brain is overloaded, so short, grounding sentences work better than long explanations.
2. Name what is happening
If they have had panic attacks before, you can gently name it:
“This looks like a panic attack, even though it feels scary. Panic attacks are intense but temporary. Your body is reacting to stress, not danger.”
Naming the experience can reduce the fear of the unknown. Just avoid arguing about whether it is “really” panic. Validate their distress, even if you suspect anxious thoughts are amplifying physical sensations.
Invite them to sit with both feet on the floor, or lean against a wall or chair. Physical stability sends a signal of safety to the nervous system.
You might say: “Can we sit together on this bench so your body has support?”
If they feel trapped in a crowded or noisy place, see if you can move to a slightly quieter, more open area without completely leaving the scene. Too drastic a change can sometimes increase disorientation.
4. Guide their breathing without forcing it
Panic often comes with over-breathing. You do not need fancy techniques, just a slower, more even rhythm.
Try this simple script:
“Let us breathe together. In through the nose for 4, gently out through the mouth for 6. I will count with you.”
Keep your own breathing slow and visible so they can mirror you. If counting feels overwhelming, try: “Let your exhale be just a bit longer than your inhale.” Research on paced breathing suggests it can reduce sympathetic arousal and support the body’s natural calming response.
5. Anchor them in the here and now
Once breathing is a little more regulated, shift to gentle grounding.
A simple 5-4-3-2-1 technique:
5 things you can see
4 things you can feel
3 things you can hear
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste or wish you could taste
Go slowly. If listing five things feels like too much, shorten the sequence. The aim is to bring their focus from catastrophic thoughts back to sensory reality, which tells the brain that the current moment is survivable.
What to say and what not to say?
Language can either soothe or intensify panic. Think of your words as a calm anchor more than a pep talk.
Helpful phrases:
“I believe you. This feels very real and very intense.”
“You are safe enough right now, even though your body feels in danger.”
“This surge will pass. Let us get through the next 60 seconds together.”
These phrases offer validation, orientation, and containment. They neither exaggerate nor minimize the experience.
Unhelpful or harmful phrases to avoid:
“Calm down.”
“There is nothing to be scared of.”
“You are overreacting.”
“Just think positive.”
Even if you mean well, these can sound dismissive, which increases shame and isolation. A better alternative is: “What you are feeling makes sense, given what your body is doing right now.”
If they seem embarrassed afterward, normalize it gently: panic attacks are common, and according to the National Institute of Mental Health, many people experience them at some point.
Grounding and breathing tools you can guide them through
When you support someone in panic more than once, it helps to have a small toolkit you know well. You do not need to be a therapist to guide simple, evidence-informed strategies.
Gentle breathing options
If basic 4-6 breathing does not resonate, you can try:
Box breathing: inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4, repeat.
Hand tracing: slowly trace the outline of one hand with a finger, breathing in while moving up a finger and out while moving down.
These patterns help occupy the mind and slow the overactive fight-or-flight response. For more structure, you can look into how to learn breathing techniques to calm anxiety so you feel comfortable modeling them.
Simple grounding techniques
Grounding is about helping their attention reattach to the present. Apart from 5-4-3-2-1, you might try:
Temperature: holding a cool bottle or splashing cool water on the face
Movement: gently pressing feet into the floor, or slowly rolling shoulders
After the panic attack: follow-up and longer-term support
Once the worst intensity has passed, many people feel drained, shaky, or ashamed. Your support in this phase can shape how they remember the episode and whether they feel safe asking for help again.
Check in with gentle questions:
“How are you feeling now, physically and emotionally?”
“Is there anything you need in the next hour or so?”
Encourage hydration, rest, and something simple to eat if they have not eaten in a while. If they are open to it, you can ask whether this has been happening often and whether they have talked with a professional. For frequent or unpredictable attacks, it is worth suggesting they speak with a clinician who can assess for panic disorder or related conditions. The American Psychological Association provides an overview of treatments that can help.
You can offer practical support, like sitting with them while they schedule an appointment or helping them think through early warning signs they might watch for next time. Just avoid taking over their whole recovery; the goal is to support their agency, not create dependence.
If you find yourself feeling shaken afterward, that is normal too. Supporting someone in acute distress can stir up your own anxiety. Take a few minutes for your own grounding, breathing, or debriefing with a trusted person.
Bringing it together with compassion
Helping someone through a panic attack is less about perfect technique and more about your calm, nonjudgmental presence. By staying with them, speaking gently, and guiding simple grounding and breathing, you offer a powerful antidote to the isolation and terror they feel in that moment.
Over time, learning how to help someone stop panic attack symptoms can deepen trust in your relationships and give both of you a sense of shared resilience. If you would like a guided way to practice these skills between crises, you might experiment with Ube, an iOS and Android AI mental health chatbot that supports stress and anxiety relief with breathing, coherence, and meditation exercises.
FAQ
How can I tell if it is a panic attack or a heart attack?
You cannot be fully sure without medical evaluation. If there is chest pain, trouble breathing, or stroke-like symptoms, treat it as an emergency and seek immediate medical help rather than assuming panic.
What should I avoid doing when trying to help someone stop a panic attack?
Avoid saying “calm down,” arguing about their symptoms, or touching them without consent. Instead, stay close, speak slowly, and offer simple choices like breathing or grounding techniques.
How to help someone stop panic attack at work without embarrassing them?
Move to a quieter corner or empty room if possible. Use a soft voice, brief reassurance, and discreet grounding, like noticing five things in the room or slow breathing together, then check what support they want next.
Is it safe to hug someone during a panic attack?
Sometimes, but always ask first. A firm, steady hug can feel grounding for some people, while for others it can increase panic, so consent and respecting boundaries are crucial.
How long does a panic attack usually last if I am helping correctly?
Most panic attacks peak within 10 minutes, whether or not someone is helping. Your support can make it less terrifying and easier to recover from, but it does not need to “fix” the episode instantly.
