Coping With Physical Panic Sensations
- Chris Zhang
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
When panic attacks happen, the physical sensations can feel overwhelming. A racing heart, shortness of breath, dizziness, or tightness in the chest can quickly trigger fear and make panic feel uncontrollable. It’s natural to want to avoid these sensations or try to make them stop as fast as possible.
However, avoiding panic sensations can actually keep the cycle going.
Why Avoidance Keeps Panic Alive
Panic is often maintained by three key patterns: catastrophic thinking, close monitoring of bodily sensations, and avoidance. When physical sensations appear, they are often interpreted as dangerous. This increases fear, which then intensifies the sensations.
Avoidance makes sense—it’s a protective response. But when sensations are avoided, the brain never gets the chance to learn an important message: panic sensations are uncomfortable, but not harmful.
Learning Through Experience
One of the most effective ways to reduce fear of panic sensations is by gently and intentionally experiencing them. This approach helps retrain the brain by providing direct evidence that these sensations do not lead to danger.
By repeatedly allowing sensations like breathlessness, dizziness, or a fast heartbeat to occur in a controlled way, anxiety about them gradually decreases. Over time, the sensations become more familiar and less threatening.
What This Process Looks Like
Exposure to physical sensations is done gradually and thoughtfully. People start with sensations that cause mild anxiety and work their way up. The goal is not to force panic, but to stay present long enough for anxiety to rise and fall on its own.
With repetition, the body learns that it can tolerate these sensations without anything bad happening. As confidence increases, fear naturally loses its intensity.
When Panic Feels “Out of the Blue”
Some panic attacks seem to come without warning. This can happen because the brain has learned to associate certain physical sensations with fear, even when the changes are very small or normal. Over time, exposure helps break this association, reducing sudden panic responses.
How Therapy Can Support This Work
Working with a therapist can make this process safer, more structured, and more effective. Therapy can help you plan exposure exercises, challenge fearful thoughts, and stay motivated when anxiety feels hard to face.
For individuals seeking anxiety support in Markham, therapy provides evidence-based tools to cope with panic sensations and rebuild trust in the body.
References
Centre for Clinical Interventions (CCI). When Panic Attacks – Module 4: Coping with Physical Alarms. Government of Western Australia.