How to Stop Panic Attacks From Controlling Your Life
- Dr. Scott Eilers, PsyD, LP
- Oct 3
- 3 min read
If panic attacks have taken over your sense of safety, it’s not because you’re weak or broken. It’s because your brain is trying to protect you, just in the worst possible way.
What most people don’t tell you is this, after your first panic attack, the fear of another one often becomes the real problem. You start scanning your body for danger, avoiding certain places, living with an undercurrent of dread.
At the North Star Psychological Center, I’ve sat with countless clients who told me their panic didn’t start with a major trigger, it came from the fear that panic might happen. That’s the trap. Avoidance shrinks your world, and when you can’t avoid everything, pressure builds.
But there’s another way forward.
Why Recovery Skills Matter More Than Avoidance
The goal isn’t to force panic attacks to stop. It’s to get so skillful at handling them that they lose their power. If you can walk through one without falling apart, your brain starts to learn: This sucks, but I can survive it.
And strangely enough, that’s when panic starts to fade.
What to Do When Panic Hits
1. Use Skillful Distraction
Not mindless scrolling. Not pretending you’re fine. But intentional redirection of your brain.
Name every color in the room.
Recite a favorite lyric.
Count backward from 100 by sevens.
Your mind can’t give full attention to panic and something else at the same time.
2. Repeat a Grounding Mantra
“I’ve done this before. I know what’s happening. I know what helps me come down.”
You’re not trying to believe it instantly. You’re interrupting the panic spiral.
3. Borrow Someone Else’s Calm
Sometimes you can’t calm yourself but you can lean on someone else’s voice or presence. That could be a trusted friend, therapist, or even guided audio.
How Your Body Can Help Stop Panic
Breathwork Signals Safety
Slow, steady breathing is one of the few conscious ways to reset your nervous system out of survival mode.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Clench and release muscle groups one at a time. This discharges physical tension and signals to your body: the danger is over.
The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Tool
5 things you see
4 you can touch
3 you can hear
2 you can smell
1 you can taste
Keep grounding tools handy, scented oil, sour candy, a smooth stone. Small props, big impact.
You’re Taking Control
The more you practice, the quicker your recovery time gets. What used to wreck your whole day might shrink to a rough 15 minutes. That’s resilience.
You’re not doomed to live in fear. Panic attacks aren’t the end of the world and when they stop being the end of your world, they stop ruling it.
Keep practicing. You’re more capable than panic wants you to believe.
-Scott
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FAQ
Q: Can anxiety routines be a sign of depression?Yes. Many people with high-functioning depression use anxiety routines as coping strategies. These routines often mask deeper struggles but also keep people stuck.
Q: What’s the difference between healthy preparation and an anxiety routine?Preparation helps you engage with life. Anxiety routines prevent you from living it. The difference is whether the habit expands or shrinks your world.
Q: What if I’ve tried therapy and it hasn’t helped?You’re not broken. Traditional therapy often overlooks people who need practical, science-based strategies. That’s why I share tools that most mental health providers aren’t teaching.
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