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Anxiety/Panic Attack 
Panic attacks are simply the body’s “flight-freeze-fight” response kicking in. This type of 
response prepares our body to defend itself, like when our heart beats faster to pump blood to 
our muscles, or when we hyperventilate to take in extra oxygen, both of which give us the 
energy to run away or fight off danger. 

What is it?
This response system is great when there is danger. But sometimes our body 
reacts when there is no real danger. This false alarm is what we call a panic 
attack. Other symptoms that may occur with this body response can be: 
palpitations, shortness of breath, nausea/abdominal distress, 
dizziness/lightheadedness, sweating, trembling/shaking, feeling of choking, chest 
discomfort, chills or heat sensations, numbness or tingling sensations, fear of 
losing control, feeling of unreality and/or being detached from oneself, fear of 
losing self- control or fear of dying. 
 
Having a panic attack does not mean you have panic disorder. Although panic 
attacks may feel uncomfortable or even scary, they’re harmless. There is no 
medical evidence that panic attacks cause harm to the body or brain. Fortunately, 
panic attacks are brief (typically lasting only 5 to 15 minutes), although they 
sometimes feel like they go on forever. 
 
Other people (except those very close to you), cannot tell that you are having a 
panic attack. While your symptoms may feel very intense, they are actually quite 
discrete, or unnoticeable. It is almost impossible to know if someone’s heart rate 
or breathing speed has increased, or that they are feeling dizzy, or thinking they 
are going crazy. 
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Tips and tricks on how to deescalate a 

panic attack 
Learning how to deal with anxiety and panic attack is crucial in order to take a 
step further into our recovery trajectory. It may be easier sometimes to avoid 
certain situation by fear of not feeling in control, but over time, facing hard 
situation will get easier by learning different techniques and utilizing the support 
around us. 
 
Think of anxiety as the same as being angry-frustrated-sad-or happy or 
experiencing a headache. It is not abnormal to get some physical reaction 
associated with anxiety and remember that these symptoms are not dangerous 
but mostly unpleasant for yourself. All of these exercises found below are 
designed to take your mind off of what may trigger your anxiety attack (for ex: 
racing thoughts) and help you concentrate on the present moment. 
 
Recenter your mind 
 
1. Realization: Catch yourself and be mindful of your racing thoughts and 
what is happening right now. 
 
2. Use a short word in your head to stop these thoughts and catch your 
own attention. 
 
3. Ask yourself: Are these thoughts helpful to me right now? Or are these 
thoughts factual or for the future or are they memories? 
 
4. Reset yourself to the present moment and name what is around you 
(describe your environment in your head or out loud if you are alone 
using 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercises; see below) 
 
5. Keep yourself busy: change your thoughts by doing something different 
like using the 7 secondes solutions technique (see below) or phoning a 
friend or family member, listening to music, read, take a shower, or 
practice breathing exercises and realign your thoughts on it. 
 
*Calm breathing (sometimes called “diaphragmatic breathing”) is a 
technique that helps you slow down your breathing when feeling stressed or 
anxious. Newborn babies naturally breathe this way, as do singers, wind 
instrument players, and yoga practitioners.* 
 

Last updated 2019 dialogue.co 

 Why is Calm Breathing Important? 
 
- Our breathing changes when we feel anxious. We tend to take short, 
quick, shallow breaths or even hyperventilate; this is called “over breathing”. 
 
- It is a good idea to learn techniques for managing “over breathing”, because this 
type of breathing can actually make you feel even more anxious (e.g. due to a 
racing heart, dizziness or headaches). 
 
- Calm breathing is a great portable tool that you can use whenever 
you are feeling anxious. It does require some practice. 
 
 
Example of breathing exercise you can use during anxiety 
episode or panic attack 
 
Recenter your mind (using the precedent steps) and oxygen your brain with 
the 4 seconds breathing technique: 
 
- To start, take a big inhalation from your belly using your diaphragm and 
filling your lungs with air for 4 seconds, 
 
- hold the breath for 4 seconds, 
 
- exhale for 4 seconds, 
 
- hold your breath at the bottom for 4 seconds. 
 
* Repeat this cycle a couple of time until you feel calmer* 
While following these steps, you can exit the room if you are with people and 
calm yourself down in a safe and private area. 
 
 
The 7 seconds solution 
 
- Find a private and safe place. 
 
- Countdown out loud from 7 to 1 (7-6-5-4-3-2-1) 
 
- Trust your arms in the air 10 times. 
 
- Repeat the process a second time in order to change focus of your 
thoughts/brain to something different or repeat process until you feel 
calmer. 
 

Last updated 2019 dialogue.co 

 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Exercise 
 
- Describe 5 things you see in the room 
 
- Name 4 things you can feel 
 
- Name 3 things you hear right now 
 
- Name 2 things you can smell right now 
 
- Name 1 good thing about yourself 
 
You should feel calmer and more at ease by the end of the exercise. Repeat 
the 5 steps more than once if needed. 

Report the following problems to a 

healthcare professional
These above recommendations are just some of the steps that can help you 
defuse an anxiety/panic attack and can be used in conjunction with therapy or 
other support ressources. 
 
If you experience panic attack symptoms and they persist despite the use of 
certain techniques, please seek help from your healthcare professional. 
 
Please also note that consulting with your doctor or health professional and 
receiving some support regarding those symptoms is highly recommended. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Last updated 2019 dialogue.co 

  
 

Prevention tips, treatment & support 

Stick to your treatment plan. Facing your fears can be difficult, but treatment can 
help you feel supported in moments when you have to get out of your comfort 
zone. A type of therapy that has been proven to support anxiety is called CBT 
(cognitive-behavioral therapy). 
 
- Join a support group. Joining a group for people with panic attacks or anxiety 
disorders can connect you with others facing the same problems. 
 
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol, smoking and recreational drugs. All of these can trigger 
or worsen panic attacks. 
 
- Practice stress management and relaxation techniques. For example: physical 
exercises, yoga,meditation, deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation. 
 
- Get sufficient sleep so that you don't feel drowsy during the day. 
 
- You can use certain phone application in order to track your mood, 
symptoms and also support your anxiety. 
 
- You can also phone crisis line support when requiring help: toll-free at 
1-833-456-4566 Available 24/7. 
 
** Ask Dialogue staff about pamphlets and ressources about these above 
tips.** 
 

Seek Emergency Care if any of the 

following symptoms occur 
- You have fears about your own safety 
- If the symptoms are so important that that's all you can think about 
- If you have chest pain that radiates to your jaw, left arm and upper back 

Last updated 2019 dialogue.co