10 Coping Strategies for Anxiety and Panic Attacks

If you've ever experienced anxiety or a panic attack, you know how overwhelming it can feel. Your heart races, your breath becomes shallow, and your thoughts spiral into worst-case scenarios. In those moments, it can feel like you have no control—but the truth is, there are ways to regulate your nervous system and bring yourself back to a sense of safety.

Whether you struggle with chronic anxiety or experience occasional panic, having a set of coping strategies can make all the difference. Here are 10 effective techniques to help you manage anxiety and panic when they arise.

1. Ground Yourself with the 5-4-3-2-1 Method

Anxiety often pulls you into your head, making you feel disconnected from your body and the present moment. Grounding techniques help bring you back.

Try this simple 5-4-3-2-1 technique:

• 5 things you can see
  
• 4 things you can touch
  
• 3 things you can hear
  
• 2 things you can smell
  
• 1 thing you can taste
  

This method shifts your focus from anxious thoughts to your surroundings, helping you feel more present and in control.

2. Control Your Breathing

When anxiety hits, your breathing often becomes shallow and rapid, which signals to your brain that you're in danger. To counteract this, focus on slow, deep breaths.

Try box breathing:

• Inhale for 4 seconds
  
• Hold for 4 seconds
  
• Exhale for 4 seconds
  
• Hold for 4 seconds
  

Repeat for a few minutes, and notice how your body begins to relax.

3. Engage Your Senses with Sensory Tools & Shifts

When anxiety takes over, engaging your senses can help bring you back to the present moment and calm your nervous system. Using sensory tools or making intentional sensory shifts can interrupt the cycle of anxious thoughts and help ground you in your body.

Here are a few ways to engage your senses:

• Temperature shifts – Splash cold water on your face, hold an ice cube, or use a cold compress on your neck. Alternatively, wrap yourself in a warm blanket or hold a cup of hot tea.
  
• Taste stimulation – Eat sour candy like Warheads, Jolly Ranchers, or Sour Skittles to give your brain something strong to focus on.
  
• Smell something notable – Sniff coffee grounds, a candle, essential oils, or potpourri to create a sensory shift.
  
• Textural grounding – Hold a soft or textured object, like a fuzzy blanket, a stress ball, or a piece of smooth stone.
  

These sensory tools help pull your focus away from anxious thoughts and reorient you to the present moment, reminding your system that you're safe. They can interrupt panic and help your body recalibrate.

4. Use Movement to Release Anxiety

Anxiety often gets stuck in the body. Moving helps release pent-up energy and brings a sense of control.

Try:

• Going for a short walk
  
• Stretching or doing yoga
  
• Shaking out your arms and legs
  
• Dancing to an upbeat song
  

Even small movements signal to your brain that you’re safe and help break the anxiety loop.

5. Talk Yourself Through It with Reassuring Statements

When panic strikes, it’s easy to believe, I’m not okay or This will never stop. But anxiety is temporary, and reminding yourself of that can help.

Try repeating these self-soothing phrases:

• "I am safe. This will pass."
  
• "My body is just reacting to stress. I can handle this."
  
• "I have felt this before, and I got through it."
  

Speaking to yourself with kindness and reassurance can help reframe your thoughts and reduce panic.

6. Engage in Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Tension builds up in the body when you're anxious, often without you even realizing it. Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) helps release this tension by tensing and relaxing different muscle groups.

Try this:

• Start at your feet: Squeeze your toes, hold for a few seconds, then release.
  
• Move up to your legs, then your stomach, your hands, your shoulders, and finally your jaw.
  

This technique calms the nervous system and reduces physical symptoms of anxiety.

7. Redirect Your Focus with a Simple Task

When anxiety spirals, shifting your attention to a simple, repetitive task can help break the cycle.

Try:

• Coloring or doodling
  
• Playing a game on your phone
  
• Organizing a drawer or stacking items
  
• Counting backward from 100 in sets of three
  

These activities give your brain something else to focus on, easing anxious thoughts.

8. Listen to Calming Sounds

Sound can have a powerful impact on mood and nervous system regulation.

• Soothing music (classical, acoustic, or nature sounds)
  
• Binaural beats (frequencies designed to calm the brain)
  
• Guided meditations or calming affirmations
  
• ASMR (whispered voices, tapping sounds, or personal attention videos)
  

Listening to familiar, comforting sounds can help shift your brain out of panic mode.

9. Visualize a Safe Place

Your brain doesn’t fully distinguish between real and imagined experiences—so visualizing a calm, safe place can trick your mind into feeling more relaxed.

• Close your eyes and imagine a place where you feel completely safe (a beach, a cozy room, a peaceful garden).
  
• Engage all your senses: What do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel?
  
• Stay in this space for a few moments, breathing deeply.
  

This simple technique signals to your nervous system that you're not in danger.

10. Accept the Anxiety Instead of Fighting It

One of the hardest but most effective ways to cope with anxiety is to stop resisting it.

Often, we panic about having anxiety, which makes it worse. Instead of fighting it, try saying:

• "I notice that I'm feeling anxious, and that's okay."
  
• "Anxiety is uncomfortable, but it’s not dangerous."
  
• "I don’t have to fix this right now. I can just ride it out."
  

Anxiety loses its power when you allow it to be there without adding fear on top of it.

Final Thoughts

Anxiety and panic attacks can feel scary, but they do not define you. Having coping strategies ready can help you feel more in control when anxiety strikes.

Not every technique will work for everyone, so experiment with different strategies and find what helps you the most. Over time, the more you practice, the more confident you’ll feel in managing your anxiety.

And remember—you don’t have to do this alone. If anxiety is interfering with your daily life, therapy can be a powerful tool to help you heal and gain long-term coping skills.