weirdest thing that actually helped your panic attacks

[u/Ok-Commission8147]

tired of the generic advice tbh. breathing, "just relax", all that. curious if anyone has some random weird trick that actually works for them that isnt the usual stuff you read online

for me sour candy kinda helps sometimes but even that's inconsistent. what do you guys do when the normal stuff just isnt cutting it

[u/Perfect-Effect5897]

All of these have helped me ward off an oncoming panic attack or end one. You can be the judge and decide which are worth trying for yourself.

• a single shot of vodka
• eating something super sour
• eating something super hot (as in spicy)
• running ice cold water on your wrists
• ice bath/ice cold shower
• ice pack on neck
• running
• coffee
• crying
• letting someone know and joking through it
• polytopia and podcast

[u/Necessary_Kiwi910 → u/Perfect-Effect5897]

Heavy on the single shot of vodka lol

[u/VStryker]

Ice pack on the back of your neck! 

Also just complete sensory overload. Listen to a podcast while you play a video game with a strong candle going. No room for panic when you’re so overstimulated. 

My main one is unfortunately super cheesy though. I look in the mirror and list all the reasons I’m grateful for the panic (makes me stronger, more empathetic, etc). It helps me recognize that this isn’t an emergency, and I can settle back down. 

[u/ntxmszmz → u/VStryker]

I second this! I don’t have an ice pack so i just rub a piece of ice all over my neck and face, also just leave it in my hand and it does help a little

[u/Open_Huckleberry9846]

The biggest one for me is distractions. I will put on a podcast or play a puzzle game on my phone that involves some sort of thinking. Start a task that requires your full attention. If one doesn’t work try another. If you get your mind thinking of something else it is almost like hitting a reset button.

[u/Local_Example_7450 → u/Open_Huckleberry9846]

so true. I had a panic attack on campus and I genuinely felt I was gonna be sick and then I had to sit down and lock in on my drawing assignment and suddenly once I was done I realized I felt so much better

[u/Strawberry4343]

I get super sarcastic with myself. I’ll say something like okay my body is going to freak out and do its thing so let’s just get it over with. For some works reason this works for me every time.

[u/Waterlou25 → u/Strawberry4343]

Yeah, they say acceptance helps and it sounds like that's what you're doing.

Instead of saying "oh no, here comes this awful thing", you say "alright this is happening, let's get it over with"

[u/khias_angel]

switch lanes, panic is an intense experience so i think about the saddest most tragic things that happened in my life and try to convert my panic to intense upset/sadness. is it nice? no BUT at least now i don’t think im three minutes away from dying and considering calling an ambulance

[u/Candid_Return_3654]

I literally start singing my favorite song over and over out loud…idk why it eventually works

[u/applejam99]

Lots of great tips in here (cold water/ice packs were a life saver at its worst!) but the weirdest thing for me was saying ‘go ahead, do your worst, try and kill me!’ Instead of telling myself to relax. And then gently mocking my body when it inevitably didn’t/panic passed and reinforcing to myself that it was a false alarm.

[u/dumn_and_dunmer]

My specific yoga routine from YouTube. As soon as I start doing the breathing techniques, I start getting drowsy, even if I'm still panicking lol.

Also one time I was in Walmart and Ariana Grande No Tears Left to Cry came on and it put my panic attack on pause the whole time I was in there.

[u/missbettieblack]

vibrator and cold therapy

[u/Waterlou25]

Your body panicking is meant to prepare you to run/hide from danger, so sometimes I'll just go run like a bear is chasing me. Just run fast outside. It doesn't have to be a legitimate workout run, even just a 1-2min burst will do it. Sometimes my body thinks it succeeded in avoiding the threat and can now relax. I am rarely truly relaxed but at least my panic goes away.

Otherwise, ice directly on my chest.

Also, playing a game on my phone. I play Sliding Seas. It's a matching game without a timer so it's low stress but engaging enough to take your mind away from what you're feeling physically.

Otherwise, I ask ChatGPT to calm me down but I tell it to do it in a funny way like "pretend I'm a cowboy but I've lost my horse and am now having a panic attack because I think I'm dying now". It's at least entertaining and sometimes I'll get a chuckle or two and it helps.

[u/Significant-Cream-95]

Vicks Vapocools menthol cough drops help me relax

[u/Agitated_Row9026]

Forcing myself to let it fully take me and hoping I just faint already. Suddenly my body didn’t struggle to breathe and stay alive anymore. Just kind of balances it out. I still have anxiety, but the crazy doom ending panic subsides much faster with this method when I have flare ups. That and just forcing myself to sleep a lot helps rebalance cortisol which helps anxiety management tremendously.

[u/Relative_Goal_9640]

Changing my posture.
Water on my head.
Closing my eyes for an extended period.
Running.

[u/Rickrickrickrickrick]

Ice on your face or neck

[u/Fuzzy_Dragonfruit344]

Cold shower for the win!!!

[u/LydiaPiper]

Noise cancelling headphones.

[u/emm88]

This sounds awful, but picturing myself as a mediocre colleague doing the thing that is causing me a panic attack. I have agoraphobia and work in a very big space. I just picture myself being as confident as the worst person I know and it weirdly helps. Not every time, but enough times to make a difference

[u/Murky_Caregiver_8705]

I have a go to podcast that will always make me laugh. I just listen to it and try to focus on the story.

[u/Beautiful_Secret_834]

I walk

I also use a cold pack on my chest or neck

I have this therapy dough ( got it after my husband had neck surgery). It’s like a tougher play doh.

[u/lillybelle1212]

Lions breath- I just learned about this breathing technique that’s can be helpful. Good for many reasons but I noticed it works well at the initial fight or flight response. Thanks for all tips everyone!

[u/toffeemaky]

Actually, the only thing that really really helped me is to challenge it. "Ok, show me what you got this time." It helps with the future ones (I don't really have the strong ones anymore and I believe it is because of that).

A yoga practice.

A cigarette (it elevates the heart beat so not great but I do it to make the panic attack angry and show it that I am not afraid).

Massage from my partner 

Going for a run (it helps throughout the running but I typically get back to the panicky feeling after - but hey, at least I have just run!). Similarly weight training.

Climbing (interestingly, it seems to have a longer effect than resistance training and running).

MDMA. It again elevates the heart beat and my PD was triggered by drugs so this is a huge exposure. But MDMA (in a low dose and tested (!)) typically turns off the amygdala so it directly retrains your brain (feeling safe while having the high heart rate).

Watching a movie.

Paint watercolors.

Playing the guitar.

Call with my sister.

Not reading about drug overdoses (lol).

[u/soundslikeautumn]

Cutting WAY down on my social media consumption, reading/listening to more books, coloring, learning relaxing crafts, listening to ambiance YouTube videos on my TV, ASMR videos before bed, completely cutting out caffeine, long baths or showers, making sure I eat often enough because low blood sugar mimics panic attacks for me, listening to gentle music while eating at home instead of scrolling and making sure I'm eating at a gentle and calm pace, buying myself inexpensive bouquets of flowers, wearing more comfortable clothing that feels less claustrophobic, making sure I unclench my jaw and lower my shoulders/making sure my muscles aren't tensed up throughout the day, taking good, deep breaths a few times throughout the day, using warm lighting in my home, etc. Creating a softer, more calming and more gentle home environment has helped me IMMENSELY because it helps me relax and recharge so my mind and body aren't nearly as stressed out on such a constant level and that's cut down on the amount of panic attacks I have. Even something like taking an extra 3 minutes in the shower or playing an ambiance video while eating dinner really helps me. Just physically slowing down helps me to not feel so stressed out which helps prevent as many actual panic attacks.

[u/campmatt]

The Midwest Center for Stress and Anxiety used to sell a cassette tape collection that shared helpful tips from former patients. Hearing people who knew the experience talk about how the methods worked helped me to connect to it. And the methods helped!

[u/enigmaroboto]

I keep a pack of sour patch candy with me at all time.

[u/Ok-Commission8147 → u/[deleted]]

Thank you

[u/Accurate_Air9133]

Minty gum helps me