Managing Panic Attacks: Effective Strategies for Public Spaces
Managing Panic Attacks in Public Spaces: Effective Coping Strategies
Around six million Americans experience panic disorder, an anxiety disorder characterized by sudden episodes of intense fear and extreme nervousness lasting ten minutes or more. These panic attacks can strike unexpectedly, regardless of location, often manifesting as overwhelming feelings of terror that seem to come out of nowhere or following a triggering event. Fortunately, there are effective coping mechanisms and strategies to help manage panic attacks when they occur in public settings.
Understanding Panic Disorder
Experiencing frequent or chronic panic attacks may indicate panic disorder. The primary characteristic of this condition is recurring, uncontrollable panic attacks.
Common symptoms during a panic attack include:
- Overwhelming sense of impending danger
- Fear of losing control
- Rapid heartbeat
- Trembling or shaking
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Headaches
- Chest discomfort or pain
It’s important to recognize that experiencing a panic attack doesn’t necessarily mean you have panic disorder. However, if panic attacks are disrupting your daily functioning, consulting with a licensed clinical social worker or other mental health professional for assessment may be beneficial.
What Defines Panic Disorder?
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, panic disorder is diagnosed when individuals experience spontaneous, seemingly unprovoked panic attacks and become preoccupied with the fear of having another attack.
Living with panic disorder often means feeling that panic attacks are beyond your control. The anticipatory anxiety about future attacks can lead to intentional avoidance of certain situations or locations that might trigger an attack. Many people avoid public places or transportation to prevent potential panic attacks. This avoidance behavior can significantly impact one’s willingness to work, socialize, run errands, or engage in enjoyable activities.
Understanding the Causes of Panic Disorder
While the exact cause of panic attacks remains unknown, significant stressors often play a crucial role in developing panic disorder. Various factors can increase your risk, including symptoms of other mental health conditions such as anxiety disorders or obsessive-compulsive disorder, which frequently co-occur with panic disorder. Traumatic events or accumulated trauma may also contribute to its development. Additionally, family history related to panic attacks can increase the likelihood of developing this disorder.
Research indicates that women experience panic disorder more frequently than men, though it can affect anyone. People diagnosed with panic disorder also have higher rates of depression, substance misuse, and suicide attempts.
Panic disorder requires serious attention. If you or someone you care about has been diagnosed with this condition, seeking professional help from a licensed clinical social worker who can provide appropriate therapeutic interventions may be essential for maintaining quality of life. Without treatment, individuals with panic disorder may face significant physical and mental health challenges.
Strategies for Managing Public Panic Attacks
Panic attacks often occur without warning, either spontaneously or in response to minor triggers. This unpredictability means attacks can happen in various public settings—during work meetings, in classrooms, on dates, or while spending time with family. The following five approaches can help you identify warning signs, recognize potential triggers, and soothe yourself during a public panic attack.
1. Acclimate to Your Environment
When you feel a panic attack beginning in public, first ensure you’re in a safe or quiet location where you can pause momentarily. Try developing comfort with allowing others to see you in a vulnerable state. Worrying about others’ perceptions can intensify and prolong your panic attack.
As you sense a panic attack approaching, take a moment for yourself to acknowledge your vulnerability and recognize that some people might witness your experience. Working toward becoming comfortable with this vulnerability can gradually reduce the fear of having panic attacks in public.
Taking time to familiarize yourself with your surroundings and permitting yourself to be vulnerable may help the attack run its course more quickly. Focus on your own experience rather than worrying about bystanders. Remember that most people have witnessed far more concerning situations than someone experiencing a panic attack.
2. Learn to Identify Early Warning Signs
Recognizing the early indicators of an oncoming panic attack can be challenging. When you notice your heart racing, it can be difficult to determine whether it’s the beginning of a panic attack or simply a response to physical exertion like climbing stairs. You might find yourself monitoring your bodily sensations throughout the day to prepare for a potential panic attack.
Try to identify the early warning signs specific to your panic attacks. Consider keeping notes about the signs or symptoms that preceded your past attacks. Journaling details such as heart rate, perspiration, breathing patterns, and other sensations can help you recognize your typical symptoms. Looking for patterns can provide advance warning when you’re about to experience a panic attack in public.
Additionally, during an active panic attack, referring back to these previous reflections can reassure you that you’ve successfully endured past attacks and will regain control of your nervous system again.
3. Find a Quieter Space
Being surrounded by crowds when a panic attack begins can significantly worsen the experience. You might worry about judgment or misunderstanding from others. When possible, locate a secluded area or quiet space. Crowded environments can feel overwhelming even when you’re not experiencing a panic attack. If you work in an office or attend school, identify potential retreat spaces in advance. Knowing exactly where to go when you feel a panic attack developing provides a moment of security that can make your panic less disruptive.
4. Practice Controlled Breathing
Difficulty breathing is a common symptom during panic attacks. Many individuals who experience panic attacks describe feeling as though they’re having a heart attack—they struggle to breathe and can’t focus on anything else.
Focusing on deep breathing techniques can help reduce the intensity of a panic attack. Take time to implement methods that help you recover from an attack. Mindfulness exercises, particularly deep breathing, can calm your nervous system and bring you back to the present moment. This grounding technique shifts your attention away from the physical and emotional symptoms you’re experiencing, directing it instead to the sensation of your lungs expanding and air flowing through your nose or mouth. Any strategy that diverts your mind from the panic attack might help you relax and regain control.
5. Inform a Trusted Person
Panic attacks often occur at inconvenient moments. Letting someone know can alleviate some pressure. They might cover for you at work or take notes for you in class. If you’re with someone and feel a panic attack beginning, inform them. One effective approach to managing a panic attack before it overwhelms you is to let your companion know what’s happening.
They might help by engaging you in conversation about unrelated topics to redirect your thoughts. While distraction doesn’t cure panic attacks, it can lessen their impact and help you maintain some composure. Someone familiar with you might offer other calming supports, such as sharing essential oils you find soothing or simply sitting beside you in supportive silence.
6. Develop Self-Awareness
Perhaps most important when experiencing public panic attacks is developing self-awareness. Recognize that it’s acceptable to struggle, regardless of others’ opinions. Understand your triggers and how your body feels leading up to an attack. Acknowledge your emotions and allow yourself to fully experience them.
After the attack subsides, don’t suppress or ignore what happened. When you feel ready, reflect on the experience to better understand yourself and develop improved coping strategies for future episodes. Though it may not feel manageable during the attack, remember that the moment will pass.
Professional Support Through Telehealth
Working with a mental health professional can help you develop effective strategies for managing your panic attacks. A licensed clinical social worker can help you understand potential triggers and underlying causes of your panic attacks. If traditional in-person therapy isn’t accessible, telehealth services provide an excellent alternative. Virtual therapy through platforms like ReachLink allows you to connect with a licensed clinical social worker from comfortable, familiar surroundings. For individuals with panic disorder, telehealth means they can address their condition wherever they have internet access, rather than navigating unfamiliar settings in a therapist’s office.
Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of telehealth approaches in treating panic disorder and related symptoms. While treatment approaches may vary, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is commonly used for panic disorders and conditions involving panic attacks. A review of 14 relevant studies found that online cognitive behavioral therapy resulted in a 50% improvement in symptoms of panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, depression, compulsive gambling disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Moving Forward
The fear of experiencing a panic attack in public doesn’t have to prevent you from living a fulfilling, functional life. Connecting with a licensed clinical social worker through telehealth services can provide you with valuable tools to prepare for panic attacks, remain calm during episodes, and maintain your dignity when managing these vulnerable experiences in public settings.
