Panic attack: 7 mistakes to avoid to regain your calm
An anxiety attack often strikes without warning, like a thunderstorm during a picnic. You feel overwhelmed by fear, your heart races, and worry takes over. In these moments, it’s tempting to react impulsively, but some reactions only worsen the situation instead of calming it. To help you take a breather, let’s review the 7 mistakes to avoid during an anxiety attack, with easy-to-apply tips. No jargon or guilt-tripping, just a conversation between you and me, to bring some sunshine when the storm is raging. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fmufz9LMnI What happens during an anxiety attack?Before discussing the common pitfalls, let’s take a quick look at what happens in the body and mind during an anxiety attack. It often triggers a cascade of frightening symptoms: racing heart, cold sweats, a feeling of suffocation, dizziness, or trembling legs. Sometimes, the mere thought of losing control adds another layer of anxiety. Far from being “all in your head,” this emotional storm mobilizes your entire body. It’s an internal emergency plan, not necessarily well-tuned, but completely real. Like many, I’ve thought I was going to faint or collapse when, in reality, my nervous system was simply on high alert. Reflexes to avoid during a panic attack: Certain attitudes, while human and spontaneous, maintain or amplify anxiety. The good news? Identifying them allows you to finally breathe a sigh of relief and gradually regain calm. Why does ignoring the symptoms complicate the situation? When faced with panic, we sometimes prefer to ignore the symptoms.It’s a bit like ignoring the red marks and thinking hives will disappear. Yet, refusing to listen to your body means minimizing the signs and letting the intensity build without you being able to do anything about it. A touch of compassionate attention is better than total denial (and I’m telling you this because I tried the ostrich approach for a long time!).
Should you fight an anxiety attack?
Don’t try to fight the attack with magical thinking or forced willpower. The more you resist the wave, the bigger it gets. Fighting it is like trying to stop the rain by shouting at the sky. It’s natural to try to control panic, but this can reinforce the symptoms and prolong the discomfort. Gentle acceptance—without giving up, however—gradually soothes the inner turmoil. If needed, close your eyes for a few minutes, sit still, breathe slowly: allow yourself to feel, without condemning this uncontrollable emotion. What blocks the return to calm? Certain habits are real barriers to serenity. It’s never intentional, but we quickly fall into these common traps as soon as stress rears its ugly head.
Avoiding triggering situations or adopting avoidance behaviors: a real solution? Instinct often pushes us to avoid triggering situations.Systematically taking another route, postponing an appointment, or asking someone to stay close… in the moment, it’s reassuring. But these avoidance behaviors gradually close off the horizon and give even more power to fear.
When I started avoiding the supermarket (simply because the crisis had started at Auchan once), I realized that the more I ran away, the less free I felt. Rather than avoiding it, take small steps, at your own pace, and have a supportive friend or family member with you if needed.
Why doesn’t minimizing the signs or avoiding talking about them help?Saying “it’s nothing, it’ll pass” or refusing to talk about it under the pretext of not worrying those around you often leads to isolation in the spiral of anxiety.Minimizing the signs
or
avoiding talking about them doesn’t reduce their impact; quite the opposite: it amplifies the anxiety in your own silent bubble.Daring to confide your experience to someone you trust, or writing down what’s happening in a journal, allows you to gain perspective. The opinion of others often offers a calming perspective, dispelling the feeling of being alone in the face of the inner storm.
Mental Traps During a Panic Attack
Anxiety attacks love to play on our thoughts. Some of them act like oil on an already raging fire, reinforcing fear and feelings of helplessness. Focusing on fear and listening to negative thoughts: danger! The mind tends to focus on fear and listen to negative thoughts. We repeat catastrophic scenarios to ourselves (“I’m going to faint,” “no one will understand”), which intensifies the flow of adrenaline. Getting lost in rumination cuts off any chance of putting things into perspective or reconnecting with the present moment. Becoming aware of these negative thoughts and deciding to change the record (even just a little) helps break the vicious cycle. Easier said than done, of course, but even a small dose of gratitude or a positive anchor (observing a color in the room, counting the sounds around us…) creates a little distance conducive to calming down. Hyperventilation: how to avoid it?
During an attack, breathing too fast or too hard is a direct ticket to hyperventilation, dizziness, and heightened panic. You think you’re suffocating when you’re actually taking in too much air. The cycle becomes vicious because each rushed breath only fuels the discomfort. Establishing slow breathing, by placing your hand on your stomach, really helps. Inhale calmly through your nose, hold your breath for a second, then exhale as if you were blowing on hot soup. Little by little, your breath becomes your ally again.
🌬️ Deep breathing slows the heart rate ⏳ Counting each breath helps with concentration 💡 Placing your hand on your stomach provides physical reassurance
Frequently asked questions about mistakes to avoid during a panic attack
Should you avoid talking about your panic attack? No, avoiding talking about it only leads to further isolation. Sharing what you’re going through helps normalize the experience, get support, and break the isolation. 🤝 Confiding in a loved one relieves tension. 📝 Writing about your feelings helps you gain perspective.
Does ignoring symptoms help you get through a crisis?
Ignoring symptoms allows stress to gain ground. It’s better to calmly observe what’s happening in your body in order to choose appropriate actions, such as breathing exercises or muscle relaxation.
👀 Observing the symptom limits the snowball effect. 🌱 Acknowledging the emotion helps you manage it better. Is it bad to avoid situations that trigger anxiety? Adopting avoidance behaviors may seem useful in the moment, but in the long run, it reduces freedom and reinforces fear. Gradually, gently exposing yourself to these situations facilitates a genuine return of confidence.
🚧 Strategy
🙅 Limitations Avoid anxiety-inducing places Restricted freedom
Go out accompanied
Less autonomy What to do to avoid hyperventilating during an attack? To avoidhyperventilation
Inhale slowly through your nose, hold your breath, then exhale gently through your mouth. This routine reduces the feeling of suffocation and calms the mind. 📦 Abdominal breathing
⏰ Count each inhale and exhale
Also read: How to quickly calm a panic attack?Therapeutic hypnosis: your natural ally against stress and anxiety
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