How to Calm an Anxiety Attack: 9 Ways to Stop an Anxiety Attack Fast

What Is an Anxiety Attack?

An anxiety attack, also known as an anxiety episode, is a sudden and intense feeling of fear, worry, or apprehension that can be triggered by a specific situation or without an identifiable cause. Anxiety attacks are not an official diagnosis but are commonly associated with anxiety disorders.

Anxiety attacks differ from panic attacks, which are also sudden but tend to have more intense symptoms, including chest pain, trembling, and a fear of losing control or dying. Panic attacks are part of the diagnostic criteria for panic disorder, a specific subtype of anxiety disorder.

Common anxiety attack symptoms include:

• Feeling tense and on edge
• Feeling irritable or easily agitated
• Difficulty concentrating or focusing
• Experiencing racing thoughts or a constant stream of worries
• Feeling restless or unable to sit still
• Experiencing muscle tension or muscle aches
• Having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
• Feeling fatigued or lacking energy
• Worrying about the past or the future
• Experiencing gastrointestinal problems like stomachaches or nausea
• Having a heightened sensitivity to sensory stimuli, such as noise or light.

Causes of Anxiety Attacks

Anxiety attacks can have multiple causes, and for many individuals, there is no clear, identifiable cause. Some potential triggers include stress, trauma, genetics, and changes in brain chemistry. A combination of environmental, biological, and psychological factors can contribute to anxiety attacks. Anxiety attacks may occur due to a perfect storm of circumstances that lead to an overwhelming feeling of fear and worry.

Mental health disorders that can cause anxiety attacks include:

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
• Social anxiety disorder 
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Specific phobias, such as fear of flying or fear of heights

Life stressors and situations that can cause anxiety attacks include:

• Financial stress
• Sleep deprivation
• Having social anxiety
• Excessive caffeine intake
• Job stress
• Relationship stress
• Academic pressure

Risk factors that make you more likely to experience an anxiety attack include:

• Having a shy personality
• Experiencing childhood trauma
• Consuming caffeine or alcohol
• Using medications that increase anxiety symptoms
• Major life changes, such as moving, starting a new job, or getting married.
• Traumatic events or experiences, such as accidents or witnessing violence
• Chronic health conditions or chronic pain
• Substance abuse or withdrawal from substances
• Family conflicts or issues
• Feeling overwhelmed by responsibilities or too many obligations
• Fear of public speaking or stage fright
• Feeling isolated or lacking social support.

How to Calm an Anxiety Attack Fast

When experiencing an anxiety attack, the body goes into a state of fight or flight, with increased heart rate, shallow breathing, and tense muscles. By learning techniques to regulate the body, such as deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, or mindfulness, you can effectively counteract these physical symptoms and calm an anxiety attack fast.

These calming techniques work by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which relaxes the body. This reduces the intensity of the anxiety attack and promotes a sense of control. By practicing and mastering these techniques, individuals can gain a powerful tool to calm anxiety attacks and prevent them from escalating.

Here are nine ways to calm an anxiety attacks fast:

1. Use the 54321 Method

The 54321 method is a grounding technique for anxiety that will calm anxiety attack symptoms and racing thoughts. To use it, simply name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. By engaging your senses and shifting your focus to the present moment, you can help soothe your mind and reduce feelings of anxiety.

2. Tell Yourself You’re Safe

Recognizing that anxiety attacks, while scary, cannot physically harm you is important. By telling yourself that you are safe and acknowledging that you are having an anxiety attack, you are reminding yourself that it is a temporary experience and that you have the strength to overcome it. This can help in calming an anxiety attack and promoting a sense of control and safety.

3. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness for anxiety can help calm an anxiety attack fast by bringing your attention to the present moment and growing a non-judgmental awareness of your thoughts and feelings. By practicing mindfulness techniques, such as deep breathing or body scanning, you can create distance from anxious thoughts and ground yourself in the present reality.

Mindfulness can disrupt the cycle of anxiety that fuels anxiety attacks. It allows you to observe and accept your anxiety without getting overwhelmed, providing a powerful tool for managing and calming anxiety attacks quickly.

4. Try Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Progressive muscle relaxation can help calm an anxiety attack fast by promoting physical and mental relaxation. By deliberately tensing and then releasing different muscle groups in the body, you can reduce muscle tension and trigger a relaxation response. This technique can help to lower heart rate, reduce blood pressure, and decrease the intensity of anxiety symptoms.

Progressive muscle relaxation can be practiced anywhere, and it is a simple strategy that can be used to calm anxiety on the spot, providing quick relief and helping to prevent anxiety attacks from escalating.

5. Take a Few Deep Breaths

Deep breathing can help calm an anxiety attack fast by activating the body’s relaxation response and counteracting the physiological symptoms of anxiety. Breathing exercises for anxiety increase oxygen flow to the brain and body, which helps to slow down heart rate, lower blood pressure, and reduce feelings of tension and stress.

Deep breathing also shifts the focus from anxious thoughts to the present moment, allowing you to regain control over your breathing and calm the body and mind. It is a simple yet powerful technique that can be practiced anywhere, providing immediate relief during an anxiety attack.

6. Move Your Body

Physical activity can help calm an anxiety attack fast by channeling the excess energy and tension associated with anxiety into a productive outlet. Engaging in exercise decreases anxiety by releasing endorphins, which are natural mood-boosting chemicals in the brain. These endorphins can help reduce levels of stress and anxiety, providing an immediate sense of relief.

Physical activity also promotes relaxation by increasing blood flow, improving oxygen circulation, and distracting the mind from anxious thoughts. Moving your body during an anxiety attack can help dissipate the physical and mental symptoms, leading to a quicker resolution and a sense of calm.

7. Find a Calming Mantra

Using positive mantras can help calm an anxiety attack fast by redirecting your focus and promoting positive self-talk. Mantras are simple, repetitive phrases or words that you can repeat to yourself during moments of anxiety. By choosing a calming mantra, such as “I am safe and in control”, and repeating it silently or out loud, you can shift your attention away from anxious thoughts and towards a more positive mindset.

Mantras can help stop rumination that fuels anxiety attacks, allowing you to regain a sense of calmness and control. Mantras provide a soothing and empowering tool to quickly stop anxiety and find inner peace.

8. Splash Cold Water on Yourself

Cold water can help calm an anxiety attack quickly by triggering a physiological response that interrupts the anxiety cycle. Plunging your face into cold water or splashing cold water on your wrists activates the mammalian diving reflex, which causes a decrease in heart rate and blood pressure. This reflex helps to calm the body quickly and reduce the physical symptoms of anxiety.

Additionally, the shock of cold water serves as a distraction technique for anxiety, redirecting your focus away from anxious thoughts and providing momentary relief from anxiety. Cold water can be a simple and accessible technique to quickly break the intensifying grip of an anxiety attack and restore a sense of calm.

9. Visualize a Peaceful Place

Visualization techniques such as guided imagery meditation for anxiety can help stop an anxiety attack quickly by redirecting your focus and calming your mind. By visualizing a peaceful and calming scene, such as a beach or a tranquil garden, you can engage your imagination and create a mental escape from anxiety-inducing thoughts and sensations. This can help calm an anxiety attack and promote a sense of relaxation and calmness. Visualization techniques can be used alongside other coping strategies to manage anxiety in the moment effectively.

How to Calm Anxiety Attacks Long Term

Aside from coping skills for anxiety that can immediately calm an anxiety attack, it is important to treat the underlying anxiety issues, which can reduce the number of anxiety attacks you have to cope with. Professional therapy, medication, and lifestyle changes are all tools you can explore to manage or prevent anxiety attacks in the future.

Here are several methods for calming anxiety attacks long term:

Begin Therapy

Therapy for anxiety can be an effective treatment option for managing or preventing anxiety attacks. Therapy sessions can help you identify thought patterns and behaviors that trigger anxiety attacks and provide tools and techniques to manage these symptoms. Additionally, a therapist can work with you to develop effective coping strategies, such as breathing exercises and grounding techniques, to calm anxiety attacks when they do occur.

Common types of therapy for anxiety attacks include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT for anxiety is a structured therapeutic approach that focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviors associated with anxiety. CBT has been shown to be highly effective in reducing anxiety symptoms.¹ This therapy helps individuals develop healthier thought patterns, challenge irrational beliefs, and learn effective coping strategies to manage anxiety triggers.
• Exposure therapy: Exposure therapy for anxiety is a therapeutic technique that involves gradually exposing individuals to their anxiety triggers, allowing them to confront and manage their fears. This process helps reduce anxiety attacks by desensitizing individuals to their triggers and teaching them effective coping mechanisms. Exposure therapy is highly effective in reducing anxiety symptoms.²
• Eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR): EMDR for anxiety works by using bilateral stimulation to help individuals process distressing experiences that cause anxiety or panic.³ By processing these anxiety-related memories and thoughts, EMDR can help individuals calm their anxiety and experience symptom relief.

An online therapist directory is a great way to find a therapist who specializes in treating anxiety. You can also ask your general practitioner or loved ones for a recommendation. If you prefer to see a therapist online, an online therapy platform can provide a therapist who specializes in treating anxiety remotely.

Start a Daily Meditation Practice

Starting a daily meditation practice can be a powerful tool for calming and preventing anxiety attacks. Meditation for anxiety will help you to be fully present in the moment without judgment. By focusing attention on the breath or a specific object of meditation, you can develop greater awareness of your thoughts and emotions, helping you to recognize early signs of anxiety and prevent it from escalating into a full-blown attack.

Regular meditation practice also helps calm the nervous system, reduce stress, and promote relaxation. Meditation apps like Insight Timer provide guided meditations and timers that can support beginners in learning and establishing a consistent meditation routine, making it easier to incorporate this effective technique into daily life.

Make Lifestyle Changes

Lifestyle changes can be impactful in decreasing the frequency and severity of anxiety attacks by addressing underlying factors that contribute to anxiety. Adopting these lifestyle changes and adopting self-care routines can help you with stress management, build your resilience, and reduce how often you experience anxiety attacks.

The following lifestyle changes can help decrease the frequency of anxiety attacks:

• Decrease caffeine and alcohol consumption, which increases anxiety
• Focus on a diet that includes foods that help anxiety
• Practice good sleep hygiene
• Get outside every day
• Limit exposure to triggers and stressors
• Establish a routine
• Engage in relaxation exercises for anxiety
• Spend more time with friends and family
• Become more comfortable with asking for help
• Have a consistent physical exercise routine

Consider Medication

Medication for anxiety can help by regulating the chemical imbalances in the brain that contribute to anxiety symptoms. It can calm anxiety, reduce the frequency and severity of anxiety attacks, and improve overall functioning.

Medication can be a valuable tool in conjunction with therapy, helping individuals regain a sense of balance and stability in their daily lives. It is important to work with a healthcare professional to determine the most suitable medication and dosage for individual needs.

Here are some medications commonly used for panic disorder:

• Buspirone (BusPar): Anti-anxiety medications like Buspirone work by binding to specific receptors in the brain to help reduce anxiety symptoms. These medications are often prescribed for long-term use, as they can help manage chronic anxiety rather than providing immediate relief during panic attacks.
• Benzodiazepines: Benzodiazepines like Xanax help calm anxiety attacks by enhancing the effects of a neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which calms the central nervous system. They provide quick relief and are typically prescribed for short-term use or as needed during anxiety or panic attacks. However, it’s important to note that long-term or excessive use of benzodiazepines can lead to dependence, so they should be used under the guidance of a healthcare professional.
• Beta-blockers: Beta-blockers can help with anxiety by blocking the effects of adrenaline on the body, which reduces physical symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, trembling, and sweating. They are commonly used to manage performance anxiety or situations where physical anxiety symptoms are prominent.
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): SSRIs like Lexapro or Prozac work by increasing the levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter, in the brain. This can help regulate mood, reduce anxiety symptoms, and improve overall well-being. SSRIs are often prescribed as a first-line treatment for various anxiety disorders, as they have been shown to be effective and have a generally favorable side effect profile. It’s important to note that SSRIs may take several weeks to start showing their full therapeutic effects.
• Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs): SNRIs like Cymbalta help with anxiety by increasing the levels of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain. This can help regulate mood, alleviate anxiety symptoms, and improve overall functioning. Like SSRIs, SNRIs may take several weeks to start showing their full therapeutic effects and should be used under the guidance of a healthcare professional.

Finding a psychiatrist can be an effective option for those who require medication to manage their anxiety. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in mental health and can provide personalized treatment recommendations, which may include prescription medication. With the rise of telemedicine and online psychiatry services, it is now more convenient than ever to access psychiatric care from the comfort of your own home.