What to Do During an Anxiety Attack: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you’ve ever experienced an anxiety attack, you know how terrifying it can feel. Your heart races, your chest tightens, your thoughts spiral, and it feels like you’ve lost control. When I had my first anxiety attack, I genuinely thought something was wrong with me—it felt like I was suffocating under the weight of fear.

But here’s the thing: while anxiety attacks are incredibly uncomfortable, they’re not dangerous. I’ve learned that the key to getting through them is understanding what’s happening and knowing exactly what steps to take. If you’re in the middle of an anxiety attack, or you want to prepare yourself for the future, here’s a step-by-step guide to help you calm down and take back control.

What Is an Anxiety Attack?

An anxiety attack is your body’s fight-or-flight response kicking in, even when there’s no real danger. It’s your brain sounding the alarm unnecessarily, which can lead to physical symptoms like:

• A racing or pounding heart
• Shortness of breath or a feeling of choking
• Sweating or shaking
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• A sense of detachment or unreality

These sensations are your body’s way of trying to protect you, but they can feel overwhelming and even terrifying in the moment.

What to Do During an Anxiety Attack

Here’s what I’ve learned to do when an anxiety attack strikes. These steps have helped me—and they can help you too.

1. Remind Yourself That You’re Safe

The first thing I do is remind myself: This is an anxiety attack. It feels scary, but it’s not dangerous. It will pass. This simple acknowledgment can help ground you and reduce some of the fear.

What to Say to Yourself:

• “This is temporary.”
• “My body is reacting to stress, but I’m not in danger.”
• “I’ve been through this before, and I can get through it again.”

2. Focus on Your Breathing

Anxiety attacks often make your breathing shallow and rapid, which can increase feelings of panic. Slowing down your breath is one of the quickest ways to calm your body.

What to Do:

• Inhale deeply through your nose for 4 counts.
• Hold your breath for 4 counts.
• Exhale slowly through your mouth for 6 counts.

Repeat this cycle until you feel your heart rate slowing and your body relaxing.

3. Ground Yourself in the Present

During an anxiety attack, your thoughts can spiral into “what ifs” and fears about the future. Grounding yourself in the present helps pull you out of that spiral.

What to Do:

• Use the 5-4-3-2-1 technique:Name 5 things you can see.
  Name 4 things you can touch.
  Name 3 things you can hear.
  Name 2 things you can smell.
  Name 1 thing you can taste.

This exercise gives your mind something else to focus on and reminds you that you’re here, in this moment.

4. Move Your Body

Sometimes, the energy of an anxiety attack feels trapped in your body. Gentle movement can help release it.

What to Do:

• Stretch your arms and legs.
• Shake out your hands and feet.
• Take a slow, deliberate walk, focusing on how your feet feel as they touch the ground.

Movement helps shift your body out of fight-or-flight mode and back into a calmer state.

5. Talk to Someone You Trust

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, reaching out to someone can provide comfort and reassurance. When I’ve been in the middle of an attack, just hearing a calm, understanding voice has made all the difference.

What to Do:

• Call or text a trusted friend, family member, or therapist.
• Let them know you’re having an anxiety attack and need some support.
  You don’t have to go through this alone.

6. Distract Your Mind

Anxiety attacks thrive on overthinking, so giving your mind something else to focus on can help break the cycle.

What to Do:

• Count backward from 100 by 7s.
• Listen to a favorite song and focus on the lyrics or instruments.
• Watch a funny video or play a simple game on your phone.

Distraction isn’t about ignoring your anxiety; it’s about giving your mind time to reset.

7. Let It Run Its Course

This might sound counterintuitive, but sometimes the best thing you can do is let the anxiety attack pass. Fighting it often makes it worse, while accepting it helps reduce its intensity.

What to Say to Yourself:

• “This is my body’s way of trying to protect me, even if it’s overreacting.”
• “I don’t need to fight this. It will pass on its own.”
  Anxiety attacks typically peak within 10 minutes and gradually fade.

Why These Steps Work

Each of these steps is designed to calm your nervous system and shift your body out of panic mode. They won’t make anxiety disappear completely, but they will help you manage it and prevent it from escalating further.

Let’s Work Together to Manage Your Anxiety

If anxiety attacks have been disrupting your life, you don’t have to face them alone. I’d love to help you find the tools and strategies that work best for you.

I’m offering a free discovery call, where we’ll:

• Identify your triggers and patterns.
• Explore practical techniques to manage anxiety attacks.
• Create a personalized plan to help you regain control.

Book your free call here, and let’s work together to help you find calm and confidence again.

Anxiety attacks can feel overwhelming, but they don’t have to define you. With the right steps and support, you can learn to navigate them and take back control of your life. I’m here to guide you every step of the way—you’ve got this.