7 Scientifically-Proven Ways To Calm Down During A Panic Attack

While it may sound strange, dunking your face into a bowl or sink full of cold water can help stop a panic attack in its tracks.

"Research in physiology suggests that the human heart rate slows down 10 to 25 percent when our face comes into contact with ice cold water," Forshee says. "This is affective during a panic attack because when we are experiencing panic our body physiologically becomes aroused (increased heart rate is one of the symptoms of physiological arousal)."

It may be tricky to come across a bowl of ice water while out in public, but this may be a good one to try at home.

If your mind is spinning, you'll want to bring it back to reality with a few grounding techniques.

"I begin by focusing on anything and everything concrete," Mary Beth Cooper, a mental health expert, tells Bustle. "I notice exactly what’s in my view, taking note of the spectrum around me. I then choose one or two things to zone in on. I might notice a picture on the wall or an outfit that someone is wearing. I shift focus to what I see in order to move away from my thoughts."

By forcing yourself to notice your surroundings, it'll help get you "out of your head" where the panic is happening, and back into the real world.

It's helpful to take deep breaths to calm down during a panic attack. But it can be even more helpful to try diaphragmatic breathing, in particular.

"Forcing yourself to breathe through your diaphragm will trick your brain into believing that you are in a relaxed state," Forshee says. "When you are having a panic attack, your brain creates these physiological symptoms because it thinks that you are in need of protection (fight-or-flight). Diaphragmatic breathing will send signals to your brain that is not the case."

Here's how to do it.

When you're having a panic attack, the last thing you might think about are the collection of games on your phone. But you might want to open one up and start playing, as a quick and easy way to redirect your thinking.

"The idea is it can act as a distraction to the fear or the body symptoms of anxiety," Dr. Prakash Masand, MD, a psychiatrist and founder of the Centers of Psychiatric Excellence, tells Bustle. "Download some games that will distract you and get your mind off of the unpleasant symptoms you are feeling. You can also download relaxing music and guided relaxation sessions."

If you're prone to anxiety attacks, it might help to keep your hands busy in moments when you feel panic creeping in. You might want to stretch and play with some putty, handle a smooth stone, or squeeze a stress ball, if you have one.

As Masand says, "Keeping something in your hands can help connect you with the present moment and also acts as a stress reliever."

Changing your thoughts is always easier said than done, especially when you're in the middle of a panic attack. But the more often you practice replacing negative, scary thoughts with ones that are more positive, the easier it will become.

"People with panic tend to catastrophize or see the worst in things," Masand says. For example, if you're panicking while on the subway, it might be because you're vividly imagining something going wrong, even when everything's a-OK.

"Carry some positive mantras or sayings to bring you back to reality," Masand says. "Or better yet, prepare your own. When you have the negative thoughts of gloom and doom, write down some positive and more realistic rebuttals."

Similar, you can push back against negative thoughts by asking yourself a few Qs, John Hamilton, LMFT, LADC, a licensed marriage and family therapist at Mountainside Treatment Center, tells Bustle.

"Next time you are feeling anxious ask yourself: Is there a reason why I am feeling anxious? Am I exaggerating the problem?" Mull over these questions and you'll slowly start to calm down, he says, especially if you answer "yes."

Validating your feelings is always a good thing, he says. But asking these questions can also kill time, while your panic attack naturally winds down on its own.