Introduction
Your heart suddenly pounds wildly, you feel like you can't breathe, and you're gripped by the terror that you might die. Only people who have been through a panic attack truly understand how distressing it is. In South Korea, the number of people with panic disorder has more than tripled over the past decade, a sign of just how serious stress in modern life has become. But panic attacks are not dangerous, and with the right understanding and coping skills, they can be overcome.
Key Points
Understanding the Symptoms of a Panic Attack
A panic attack usually peaks within 10 minutes and subsides on its own within 20 to 30 minutes. Symptoms include a racing heart, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, a choking sensation, chest pain, nausea, dizziness, a sense of unreality, and fear of dying. These symptoms are the body's "fight-or-flight response," which normally kicks in when danger is detected, firing by mistake. No one ever dies or goes crazy from a panic attack.
The Vicious Cycle of Panic
Often the bigger problem is not the panic attack itself but the anticipatory anxiety: "What if I have another one?" When you pay excessive attention to bodily sensations, you start reading even a normal heartbeat as a warning sign of panic, and that anxiety can actually trigger an attack, creating a vicious cycle. As you avoid certain places or situations, your world can gradually shrink.
What to Do During an Attack
Tell yourself: "This is a panic attack. It isn't dangerous, and it will pass soon." Try 4-7-8 breathing (breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, breathe out for 8 seconds). Touch objects around you or run cold water over your hands to bring your focus back to the present.
What the Research Says
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to achieve remission rates of over 80% for panic disorder (American Journal of Psychiatry, 2018). Research also shows that regular aerobic exercise can reduce the frequency of panic attacks by 40 to 60%. Interoceptive exposure training, which deliberately exposes you to feared bodily sensations, has also been found to effectively reduce the fear of panic.
How to Practice
- When a panic attack comes, repeat to yourself: "It's not dangerous. It will pass soon."
- Practice belly breathing regularly so that you can use it automatically during an attack.
- Be careful with caffeine, alcohol and lack of sleep, which can all trigger panic attacks.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help you overcome panic systematically.
- Regular aerobic exercise is effective in reducing how often panic strikes.
Applying It in Daily Life
Practicing belly breathing for 5 minutes every morning helps stabilize your autonomic nervous system. Simply switching to decaf coffee can help. Practice gradually exposing yourself to situations you've been avoiding, such as elevators or the subway. Keeping a panic journal helps you identify patterns.
Things to Keep in Mind
- If you've just had your first panic attack, first rule out physical causes such as heart conditions.
- Avoiding places or activities to prevent panic attacks makes the symptoms worse.
- Medication may be needed, so consult a medical specialist.
A Word from Mindy
However frightening a panic attack is, it will never make you die or lose your mind. Once you learn the right ways to cope, panic attacks can grow weaker and eventually fade away. Mindy will be with you on that journey.