Take Control of Panic Attacks

You breathe in for a count of four, hold for four, then breathe out slowly for six, and repeat it three times. The session gives you a full minute to try it while you listen. The idea offered is that your body can't feel panic and deep relaxation at once, so slowing the breath is a quick way to switch toward calm.

When you feel anxiety rising, you say: "I don't mind. You can come and you can go. I have nothing to be afraid of. I know this will float over me." You pair the words with the counted breath. The point is to stop fighting the feeling and simply let it pass.

It is a grounding technique that pulls your attention out of your thoughts and into your surroundings. Look around and notice five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell and one you can taste. The session calls it a distraction, something that keeps your mind busy while the feeling passes.

The suggestions encourage you not to run away from places or situations that set off fear, and to notice that over time they become less scary. The session also says panic feeds on fear, so meeting it with calm and acceptance takes away its fuel. It is a gentle mindset suggestion, not a push to do anything you aren't ready for.

Beyond the senses scan, it lists phoning a friend, chatting to someone, writing something down, singing, drawing, writing a story, playing music, watching something on your phone, dancing or jumping. Anything that engages your mind and diverts your focus counts. You are invited to pick whatever works for you.

It suits the evening, but it isn't a sleep track. After the body relaxation and the suggestions, the voice counts you back from one to five and ends with eyes open and fully awake. That makes it a good wind-down before your night routine, rather than something to fall asleep to.