How to Stop a Panic Attack — 10 Minute Guided Meditation for Panic Attacks

If you're feeling it right now, the racing heart, the tight chest, the shortness of breath, that sudden surge of fear that came from nowhere, then stay with me, because what you're feeling is a panic attack and you're going to be okay. This is your ten minute guided meditation to stop a panic attack and calm down fast. I'm going to stay right here with you. Together we'll ease the panic, slow your breathing right down and bring your body back from that flood of adrenaline.

You are safe, you're not in danger, nothing here can harm you. So let's move through this panic attack together, one slow mindful breath at a time. Welcome to calming anxiety. I'm Martin, clinical hypnotherapist and former frontline paramedic and every day I share my short free guided meditation for anxiety sessions, just for you, to give you calm in your moment of need.

You'll find deeper clinical hypnotherapy sessions at calminganxiety.fm where you can keep this panic attack first aid, wherever you are within the anchored app. A calm mind, always in your pocket. And before we go further, one caring word. If these feelings are brand new to you or if you have chest pain or anything that feels different or frightening in any way that you don't recognise, please pause this and check in with a doctor or the emergency services first.

This is always the kindest thing to do. This session is here for the familiar feelings of anxiety and panic that you already know. With that said, let's begin to bring you down gently. We'll start with your breath because your breath is the fastest way out of a panic attack.

We're not going to count rigidly and there's no holding. I just want you to focus gently and completely on one thing, making your out breath long and slow and soft. So softly, breathe in through your nose, just an easy, normal breath. No need to fill right up and now breathe out through per slips, lips barely parted as if you're cooling a warm drink or breathing out through a thin straw.

Long, slow, quiet. Let that out breath last a little longer than the in breath. As a frontline paramedic, this was one of the very serious things I'd help a frightened, breathless person do. Breathe out against those softly per slips.

It creates a gentle back pressure that slows everything down. Eases the fast over breathing that feeds the panic attack and that long, slow out breath through the thin lips brings the calming switch, the vagus nerve, quietly telling your nervous system the emergency is over. So again with me, in softly through the nose and out, long and cool through per slips as if cooling that warm drink and as you breathe out, imagine my hand gently on your shoulder.

Just a mild squeeze, I'm here, together we've got this.

And as your breathing settles, picture this, a panic attack is your body at a furious, rolling boil like a kettle right after the peak of the heat, the racing, the rushing, that high screaming whistle of alarm. It feels as though it will never stop. But here is the undeniable truth. Breathe long, cool breath out through your per slips as you, calmly lifting that kettle up and off the flame.

Feel it begin, the rolling boiling easing to a gentle simmer, the raw softening, those frantic bubbles slowing, settling fewer now. Slower fading to a soft curl of steam and then stillness, just warm, settled water, just you, here, safe and breathing, the panic gone.

Let's anchor the calm now with five affirmations for when panic comes your way, nothing to do but listen in your mind. This is a panic attack, not danger, my body is safe and this feeling will pass.

Very long, slow breath out tells my body the alarm is over.

I have come through every panic attack before this one and I will come through this one too. I am not my panic, I am the calm that watches it rise and watches it fade.

With each cool, slow breath, my racing heart steadies and I come gently back to myself.

Let those words settle and if your mind darted off, that is completely okay, that is just the adrenaline easing. Always come back to my voice, always focus on the breath. Yes, is a panic attack, not danger, my body is safe and this feeling will pass.

Every long, slow breath out tells my body the alarm is over.

I have come through every panic attack before this one and I will come through this one too. I am not my panic, I am the calm that watches it rise and watches it fade.

With each cool, slow breath, my racing heart steadies and I come gently back to myself.

Before we gently come back to the world around you, here are today's three daily caring tips. Very small, kind ways to help you handle a panic attack whenever it comes. One, keep the cool breath in your pocket. You don't need a quiet room or a spare 10 minutes.

This long, cool, perst-lipped out breath goes everywhere with you. The supermarket queue, the school run, the meeting that makes your chest tighten. It is a few times today while you are calm, so it is ready and waiting for you, the moment of panic attack knocks. Two, name the false alarm.

The next time panic surges, say it to yourself plainly, this is adrenaline, this is a false alarm, not real danger. Coming it for what it truly is reminds your thinking brain who is in charge and quietly takes the fuel away from fear. Three, cool the system down. If you feel panic rising, splash a little cool water on your face or hold something cold for a moment.

At a small drop in temperature, gently nudges your body's own calming reflex. A simple, physical way to stop the panic attack from rising. Now gently, bring yourself back, feel your feet on the floor, wiggle your fingers and your toes, roll your shoulders, take a breath in and then as you exhale, stretch out the arms and softly open your eyes. Steady in now and a little lighter, like you have had a small coffee break for the soul.

If this helped you through, please keep it close. Download the Anchored app, your panic attack first aid kit. It has breathing tools and daily guided meditations all in one place. Ready for when you need to calm down fast.

Thank you my friend. Take care truly. Never give up. You're unique.

Have a lovely day. Smile often and then in everything. Be kind.