Panic attacks can feel overwhelming and disorienting, but they don’t have to control your life. Using tools from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), you can learn how to respond effectively—even in the middle of intense panic. Here’s a guide to five ACT-based strategies to help you navigate panicky feelings, stay grounded, and refocus on what matters most.
1. Acknowledge and Allow
When panic strikes, your instinct may be to resist or “fight” the sensations, hoping they’ll go away faster. Maybe you try to distract yourself; tell yourself "I'm fine"; avoid certain triggering situations or events; tense up; escape or leave the situation; or try to rely on logic to argue with panic - "This doesn't make sense. There's no real danger here." (Panic isn't driven by logic, but by the body's fight-or-flight response.) Of course, you have the urge to get rid of panic as quickly as possible. It's uncomfortable and distressing. But these responses often backfire, making the feelings more intense.
It's like struggling in quicksand. The more you struggle, the faster you sink. In quicksand, you need to work against the initial panicky urge to force yourself out and, instead, open up - spreading out your arms and legs to float to the top. Similarly, when panic arises, opening up to the feelings—rather than fighting them—can help you regain balance.
The next time panic begins, try acknowledging the feelings without judgment. Notice your racing heart, shortness of breath, or other sensations as they come and go. You might say to yourself, “I feel my heart racing, and that’s okay,” or “I’m allowing this feeling to be here.”
Allowing doesn’t mean liking the panic —it just means choosing not to make things worse by fighting your own body.
2. Ground Yourself in the Present Moment
Panic attacks often pull you into a whirlwind of catastrophic thoughts, like “Am I dying? Is something terribly wrong? How do I stop this?”
These thoughts can amplify the fear. Grounding yourself in the present moment can help bring your focus back to what is real and manageable right now.
Here are a few grounding techniques you can try:
Push your feet firmly into the ground. As you do, say to yourself, “I’m pressing my feet into the floor.” This helps center your awareness.
Lean your back against a wall. Focus on the sensation and narrate it: “I feel the support of the wall behind me.”
Engage your senses. Name one thing you can see, hear, touch, smell, and taste. This simple exercise shifts your focus away from panic and into the present.
3. Name Your Thoughts about the Panic Attack
Panic attacks are often fueled by catastrophic thinking, such as “I can’t handle this,” or “This is never going to stop.” These thoughts can make you feel powerless and out of control.
Instead of getting caught up in these thoughts, try labeling them for what they are: just words. Practicing this small shift can reduce their power over you.
You might say to yourself:
“I’m noticing the thought, ‘I can’t handle this.’”
“There’s that ‘This is out of control’ story again.”
This technique helps you step back and see your thoughts for what they are and allow them to pass through, rather than stick around or pull you into a spiral.
4. Connect to Your Breath and Body
During a panic attack, you might feel completely out of control of your body. By reconnecting with your breath and physical presence, you can regain a sense of stability.
Start by placing one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Before changing your breath, simply notice that you do have control over small actions, like where you place your hands.
Then, as you inhale, focus on expanding your belly like a balloon while keeping your chest relatively still.
As you exhale, contract your belly and blow all the air out slowly.
Repeat this process for at least two minutes. This deep belly breathing can help activate your body’s "calm down" response (the parasympathetic nervous system), gradually reducing the intensity of your symptoms.
5. Commit to Small Actions, Not Big Solutions
After a panic attack, you may feel unsettled and preoccupied with questions like, “When will it happen again? Why did it happen? What triggered this?” It's normal to want answers to these concerning questions. Your mind is trying to plan, prepare, and avoid another panic attack. However, if you find yourself getting too stuck on these questions, it can keep you in an unhelpful anxiety loop. Notice what your mind is doing here, and then focus on committing to small, meaningful actions in the present moment. In ACT, we emphasize values—the things that matter most to you. If you value kindness, ask yourself: “How can I show kindness to myself right now?” If you value creativity, how can you focus on creating something (a meal, a poem, a drawing)?
This is about taking small steps in the direction of what you care about, showing your mind that you can handle discomfort without letting it derail you.
Final Thoughts
Panic attacks are undeniably uncomfortable, but with the ACT framework, you can learn to navigate them effectively.
Managing panic isn’t about eliminating it—it’s about accepting it as a temporary experience and refocusing on the life you want to build.
By practicing these 5 responses, you can develop resilience and continue moving toward a life of meaning, even when panic arises.
Remember: It’s okay to seek support. Therapy can be especially helpful to individuals who have experienced a panic attack or panicky symptoms. If you’re struggling with panic attacks, a therapist can help you learn and apply these (and other) skills to your unique situation.
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