5 Super Quick Things to Do When You Feel Panicked

We've all been there.

The moment you feel so stressed that you feel out of control, panicked, and unsure of how to feel better.

Do you know this feeling well? Or do you experience panic attacks? The next time you feel like your mind is racing, your heart rate increases, you want to scream and collapse at the same time, you want to start solving the problem, but you don't know where to even begin...start by doing all or some of these 5 things:

#1 - Move yourself to a different location

Whether or not the location has anything to do with your current mental state, staying in the same place can allow you to sink further into a panic. If you are able to do so, go outside and find a place you can be alone. If you can't go outside, move to a different room or even a stairwell or a bathroom. By removing yourself from the location where you first started to feel panicked, you can allow your mind to detach from the circumstances that got you feeling that way. Subconsciously, your mind will open up to other experiences and shift to looking forward instead of spiraling out of control. Being outside can help tremendously because you can breathe fresh air, feel the sun and wind on your face, and see plants (which has been proven to improve your mood). Again, moving to a new location is all about resetting your mind, and causing it to break the panicked cycle.

#2 - Think about your senses

Spend about a minute focusing on naming

• something you see

• something you hear

• something you smell

• something you feel

• something you taste

It doesn't take long but focusing on these things that you can currently see, hear, smell, touch, and taste, forces your mind to return to the present moment instead of stressing about the future. This redirects your mind away from panicking and towards what you can do now in the moment. If you don't taste something in that moment, think of something you most recently tasted or something that you enjoy tasting.

"One crisis survival skill is called Self-Soothing and it involves grounding yourself by focusing on the five senses." – Jane Mizevich, Ph.D., C.Psych

#3 - Take 5 Deep Breaths

Ever wonder why people give us advice to take some deep breaths when we are upset? It's because it stimulates the vagus nerve which runs from your brain stem to your abdomen. It's part of the parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for calming you down. By stimulating your parasympathetic nervous system, you can activate your body's rest stage and stop the fight or flight stress response.

While you are taking 5 deep breaths, count them out. For example, think "inhale 1, exhale 1. Inhale 2, exhale 2," etc. This makes your mind focus on the breath instead of your reason for panicking. You can also think "inhale fresh air 1, exhale stress/anxiety/overwhelm 1". (You choose what it is that you are exhaling.)

#4 - Go for a 5-minute, fast-paced walk

If possible, move your body for at least 5 minutes. I know when I am panicking, I often feel the urge to flee. It's part of my stress response: fight or flight. I don't necessarily want to flee to leave the situation...sometimes it's the opposite and I feel like I need to flee towards solving the problem. I feel antsy and like I need to go do something to fix it. This happens to me even when I know nothing can be done right then, so going for a fast-paced walk helps me satisfy that subconscious urge to "go", to move towards something.

It's also helpful physically. It helps get rid of some of that pent up energy that I'm feeling. If I'm shaking, trying to contain my panic, walking helps move that energy instead of me bottling it up. Chemically, moving your body can significantly increase your mood. Through exercise, our bodies reduce stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. Movement also increases the levels of endorphins which are chemicals in our brains that act as natural pain killers and mood elevators (Exercising to Relax - Harvard Health Publishing - Harvard Health). So even if you don't have a lot of time, try to move your body for 5 minutes to feel the mental, physical, and chemical affects that exercise can have on your body.

#5 - Write down 3-5 things you are grateful for

Focusing on things you are grateful for helps to stop negative thoughts. When we are panicking, we tend to have ruminating thoughts that we can't stop going over. Often times it leads us to spiral out of control. In order to stop that cycle, we can express gratitude. Writing down things that we are grateful for shifts our attention from negative to positive thoughts. Doing this every day can train your brain to be happier and more positive, but even just doing it in the moment of overwhelm can help to calm you down. To do this, write on a piece of paper (or your computer or phone) 3-5 things that you are thankful for right then. It can be as simple as "I am thankful it is sunny" or "I am grateful for this comfortable sweater". Thinking these things can be powerful enough but writing it can be very therapeutic.

One final tip to remember this all

These 5 activities can be tools to turn to next time you feel like your mind is racing and you don't know which direction to go. If you aren't sure if you'll remember them when you need to, I recommend writing them in your phone or on a small piece of paper you can tuck into your wallet. You never know when you may need this list. I'm sure there are plenty of other tools and activities to do to help you when you are felling panicked, but these are a few I feel you can do quickly and in almost any situation. If you have other ideas, I'd love for you to share them in the comments so others can see or send me a message on Instagram or Facebook if you want to keep it confidential.

I really hope you find this helpful.

-Sara