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Managing panic and anxiety: general coping techniques and when to seek help

This guide offers general, widely-shared information about coping with panic and anxiety in the moment. It is not medical advice and does not replace professional support. If anxiety or panic is a regular or significant part of your life, please speak to your GP, who can discuss the right support for you.

In-the-moment coping techniques

A number of simple techniques are widely recommended by mental health organisations to help manage the intensity of anxiety or panic in the moment, though it's worth remembering they're coping tools, not a cure, and what helps varies between people. Slow, controlled breathing — breathing in for a count of around four, holding briefly, and breathing out for a slightly longer count — is one of the most commonly suggested approaches, as it can help calm the body's physical stress response. Grounding techniques, which bring your attention to the present moment through your senses (such as naming things you can see, hear, touch, smell and taste), can help interrupt the spiral of anxious thoughts. Reminding yourself that panic attacks, while frightening, are time-limited and will pass, even though it doesn't feel that way in the moment, is also something many people find helps. Our free panic attack toolkit and grounding techniques sheet set these out as a quick, calm reference.

Building support into daily life

Beyond in-the-moment techniques, many people find it helpful to build small, regular practices into daily life that support overall wellbeing and may reduce the frequency or intensity of anxiety over time — though again, this is general information, and what helps is individual. Things commonly suggested include regular gentle movement, prioritising sleep, limiting caffeine and alcohol (both of which can worsen anxiety symptoms for some people), and practices like journaling or mindfulness that create a regular space to process difficult feelings before they build up. A self-soothe box, prepared in advance for harder days, is a practical way to have comforting, calming resources ready without needing to think clearly in a difficult moment. None of these replace proper treatment if anxiety is significant, but they can be a helpful complement to professional support, and a way of generally supporting your wellbeing day to day.

When and how to seek professional help

If panic attacks or anxiety are frequent, significantly affecting your daily life, relationships or ability to function, or causing you ongoing distress, it's genuinely worth speaking to your GP rather than trying to manage it entirely alone. Your GP can discuss what you're experiencing, rule out other causes, and talk through the range of support available, which in the UK commonly includes talking therapies (such as CBT, which has good evidence specifically for anxiety and panic disorders, often available through NHS talking therapies services, sometimes via self-referral) and, where appropriate, other treatment options. There's no need to wait until things feel unmanageable before reaching out — GPs and mental health services see anxiety and panic very commonly, and earlier support tends to help more. If you need to talk to someone right away, the Samaritans (116 123, free, available 24 hours) are there for anyone struggling, not only in crisis, and Mind (mind.org.uk) offers further information and signposting to support. You don't have to manage this alone, and reaching out for help is a sign of strength, not failure.

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Frequently asked questions

What does a panic attack feel like?
Panic attacks can feel genuinely frightening, and the physical symptoms are often intense enough that people experiencing their first one sometimes worry something is seriously medically wrong, which can understandably add to the distress. Common physical symptoms include a racing or pounding heart, feeling short of breath or like you can't get enough air, chest tightness or pain, trembling or shaking, sweating, dizziness or feeling lightheaded, nausea, and a sense of unreality or being detached from yourself or your surroundings. Many people also describe an overwhelming sense of fear or dread, sometimes with a feeling of losing control or, frighteningly, a fear that something terrible (like a heart attack or dying) is happening, even though panic attacks themselves are not physically dangerous. The symptoms typically build quite quickly, often peaking within around ten minutes, and then gradually ease, though the experience can feel much longer in the moment. If you experience symptoms like these for the first time, particularly chest pain or breathing difficulty, and you're not sure whether it's a panic attack or something else, it's always sensible to seek medical attention to be properly checked, since panic attack symptoms can genuinely resemble certain medical emergencies, and getting checked is the safe, appropriate thing to do rather than trying to self-diagnose. If panic attacks become a recurring experience, your GP is the right person to talk to about what's happening and the support available.
When should I see a doctor about anxiety or panic attacks?
It's worth speaking to your GP about anxiety or panic attacks if they're happening regularly, if they're significantly affecting your daily life — your work, relationships, ability to do everyday things, or your overall quality of life — or if they're causing you ongoing distress, even if you're not sure whether what you're experiencing 'counts' as serious enough to mention. There's no threshold you need to cross before it's appropriate to seek help; GPs see anxiety and panic very commonly, and you don't need to be in crisis or have tried to manage it alone for a long time first. It's also sensible to see a doctor if you experience panic-attack-like symptoms for the first time, particularly things like chest pain, breathing difficulty or a racing heart, since it's important to rule out other medical causes, even if it does turn out to be anxiety-related. Your GP can talk through what you're experiencing, discuss possible underlying factors, and explain the range of support available, which commonly includes talking therapies like CBT (which has strong evidence specifically for anxiety and panic), and in some cases medication, depending on what's appropriate for your situation — in many parts of the UK, you can also self-refer directly to NHS talking therapies services without needing to go through your GP first, which is worth looking into if that route appeals. If you ever feel you're in crisis or at risk, please contact emergency services (999) or go to A&E, and the Samaritans (116 123) are available to talk at any time, for any level of difficulty, not only acute crisis. Reaching out is a positive, sensible step, not an overreaction.