How Do I Stop A Panic Attack?!
How to Stop a Panic Attack Using Two Evidence-Based Therapies
Panic attacks can feel terrifying—like something is deeply wrong with your body or mind. Your heart races, breathing becomes shallow, thoughts spiral, and a sense of dread takes over. But the good news is: you're not alone, and there are effective ways to manage and stop a panic attack using therapeutic tools from both Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
In this post, we’ll break down how you can blend the best of CBT and ACT to regain control when panic strikes.
🔍 Step 1: Recognize What’s Happening (CBT Insight)
Panic attacks often escalate because people interpret their symptoms—racing heart, dizziness, shortness of breath—as signs of something dangerous (like a heart attack or losing control). CBT teaches us to challenge these catastrophic interpretations.
Try this:
Ask yourself: “Is this uncomfortable or dangerous?” (It’s uncomfortable, but not dangerous.)
Remind yourself: “This is a panic attack. I’ve had this before. It will pass.”
This kind of cognitive reappraisal helps reduce the fear of the sensations themselves, which often fuels the panic.
🌬 Step 2: Ground Yourself in the Present (CBT + ACT)
Panic pulls your attention inward—toward your racing thoughts and symptoms. Grounding exercises help you reorient to the here and now.
Try the 5-4-3-2-1 Technique:
5 things you can see
4 things you can touch
3 things you can hear
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste
This combines mindfulness (ACT) and behavioral distraction (CBT) to calm your nervous system.
🧠 Step 3: Defuse From Anxious Thoughts (ACT Technique)
In ACT, we don't try to eliminate thoughts—we try to “defuse” from them, meaning we learn not to take them so literally or seriously.
Try this:
Label your thoughts: “I’m having the thought that I can’t handle this.” or “I’m having a thought that I am going to go crazy or psychotic”.
Add humor or exaggeration: Repeat the thought in a silly voice, or say it rapidly 10 times until it loses its power.
Picture your thoughts like leaves on a stream, floating by.
This reduces their emotional weight and helps you watch them, not be ruled by them.
💖 Step 4: Make Space for the Sensations (ACT Technique)
The instinct during a panic attack is to fight the sensations or make them stop. But ironically, resistance increases distress. ACT encourages willingness—the skill of making space for discomfort.
Try this:
Silently say to yourself: “I can allow this feeling to be here.”
Focus on where the sensation is in your body. Notice its size, shape, and movement.
Breathe into it, without trying to change it.
The goal isn’t to like the feeling—but to coexist with it, which paradoxically gives you more control.
🧭 Step 5: Take Meaningful Action (ACT + CBT)
When you begin to feel more centered, take a small action that aligns with your values—not your fears.
Ask yourself:
“What would I do right now if anxiety weren’t in control?”
Maybe it’s texting a friend, walking around the block, returning to a task, or just breathing deeply and choosing to stay.
This reinforces psychological flexibility, a core aim of ACT, and behavioral activation, a key strategy in CBT.
Final Thoughts
Stopping a panic attack isn’t about “snapping out of it” or forcing calm. It’s about:
Recognizing what’s happening
Grounding in the moment
Observing your thoughts
Allowing sensations to come and go
Choosing small actions toward what matters
By blending the structured thought work of CBT with the mindful acceptance of ACT, you can break free from the panic cycle and build long-term resilience.
“You don’t have to control your thoughts. You just have to stop letting them control you.” — Dan Millman
Need More Help?
If panic attacks are recurring or significantly impacting your life, consider working with one of our licensed therapist’s trained in CBT and ACT. You deserve support, and help is available.
