Seven things to do during a panic attack

Marie-Claire Dorking
·Contributor
·5-min read

I’m a Celebrity star Danny Jones has shared his struggles with anxiety, admitting he once experienced a panic attack live on air.

In a discussion with his campmates about the meaning behind his tattoos the McFly musician, 38, revealed that he has been undertaking therapy since he was 19.

Pointing to the "Don't Worry Be Happy" inking on his wrists he shared: "It’s because I’m always constantly worrying, but that’s what I’m working on."

As Jane Moore asked if he’d ever sought help for his mental health, Jones said that he had, saying: "Yeah, I’ve been in therapy since I was 19 for anxiety."

Detailing his experiences further he revealed he had once had a panic attack during a live This Morning interview. "I was freaking out and I couldn’t answer the question that got asked to me," he told his campmates.

Danny Jones, pictured in I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here 2024, he has spoken about experiencing a panic attack. (ITV)
Danny Jones told his campmates he once experienced a panic attack live on air. (ITV)

As he felt the camera on him, he said he felt himself go white and experienced the urge "to puke". He added: "Heart rate goes crazy."

Jones went on to discuss the benefits of therapy describing how it helped him to overcome feeling like a "burden".

N-Dubz star Tulisa Contostavlos comforted Jones and praised him for opening up. "It’s really good to let it out and it’s really brave to be vulnerable, people respect it."

Chartered psychologist Dr Mark Rackley agrees. "Danny discussed how he has been receiving treatment for a number of years and is now is able to handle his mental health better," Dr Rackley explains. “Being so open and vulnerable helps normalise the fact that mental health impacts everyone.”

Mental health charity Mind describes panic attacks as a type of fear response. "They're an exaggeration of your body's normal response to danger, stress or excitement," the site explains. Panic attacks can happen at different times for everyone, but most last between five to 20 minutes. During a panic attack, physical symptoms can build up quickly.

Woman experiencing a panic attack and struggling to breath. (Getty Images)
People can often struggle to breathe during a panic attack. (Getty Images)

With any form of panic attack it’s key to remember that it will pass. "At the time, as the ‘fight or flight’ response kicks in, it may not feel like it, which can be extremely frightening," explains Dee Johnson, Priory therapist. "If you are with someone having a panic attack, do not diminish how frightening it can be," she adds.

Key steps to consider:

1. Try to control your breathing. "Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth," Johnson recommends. "Try to breathe out for 1-2 seconds longer than you breathe in. Controlled breathing helps to keep the oxygen and carbon mix flowing."

2. Slowly wriggle your fingers, almost as if you are playing the piano. "This movement helps you to naturally breathe more easily as the muscles in the chest/torso can’t constrict as much," Johnson advises. "This helps tell your brain you can breathe and are now back in control."

3. Continue controlled breathing. "This tells the brain it doesn’t need to release any more stress hormones and that it was just a ‘perceived’ threat, not a ‘real’ threat," Johnson explains.

4. Start to tell yourself how you are now ‘safe’ and in the ‘here and now’. "Focus on something in front of you, anything that you can describe, either out loud or in your head," Johnson recommends. "Concentrate on all its details and list them all. This helps to provide a distraction as well as helping the brain to get back into the ‘present’."

5. Don’t run. Johnson says many may feel an urge to run once they feel a panic attack coming on. "Stay where you are and try to sit down," she advises instead. "If you are with someone, tell them and ask them to do the controlled breathing with you."

6. When the panic attack passes, which it will do, do not have an alcoholic drink or sugary drinks, such as a sweet tea. Johnson says these all act as stimulants and will provide a huge sugar rush, and make you feel worse. Instead she recommends sitting down with a glass of water and concentrating on regulating your breathing.

7. Do not try to discuss the reasons behind the panic attack at that moment, this can be done at a later date. Instead Johnson advises concentrating on the here and now and getting back to a calm and relaxed state.

Finally, if you are experiencing any pain in your chest, or pins and needles in the chest and arms, call 999 as this could be a sign of something more serious, needing urgent medical attention.

If you are experiencing anxiety symptoms, you can consult your GP to discuss treatment options and support. You can also contact Mind for information about mental health support and services.

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