prompter: What do you do if you try to help a person that is having a panic attack?

assistant: If you encounter someone who is having a panic attack, it's important to remain calm and supportive. Here are some steps you can take to help the person:

Be present: Stay with the person and let them know that you're there to help. Try to create a calm and quiet environment by turning off loud music or moving to a quieter location.

Encourage slow breathing: Encourage the person to take slow, deep breaths. You can breathe with them to help guide them.

Offer reassurance: Let the person know that panic attacks are common and that they will pass. Reassure them that they are safe and that you will stay with them until they feel better.

Use grounding techniques: Help the person focus on their surroundings by asking them to name things they can see, hear, touch, and smell. This can help distract them from their panic symptoms.

Don't dismiss their feelings: Acknowledge their feelings and validate their experience. Avoid saying things like "just calm down" or "it's all in your head."

Seek medical attention if necessary: If the person's symptoms don't improve or if they have a history of panic attacks, consider seeking medical attention.

Remember that everyone experiences panic attacks differently, and what works for one person may not work for another. The most important thing is to remain calm and supportive, and to listen to the person's needs.

prompter: I see. Thanks for the information. Can you give a concrete example or scenario so I can understand more?

assistant: To help someone that is suffering from a panic attack it is important to stay calm. If the other person senses your anxiety, their panic attack will intensify. You should also encourage them to perform slow and steady breathing, this will reduce their stress. If the problems still persist, call 911 and ask for professional assitance.

prompter: Could you make a list of the actions that i can do to help someone having a panic attack? Maybe use a bullet list with short and simple instructions that anyone can execute even if they have just seen the list for the first time.

assistant: Sure, here's a list of some simple actions that you can take to help someone having a panic attack:

* Stay calm: Remain calm and composed, this will help the other person feel less anxious.
Speak calmly and reassure them: Use a reassuring tone and tell them that they are safe and everything will be okay.
* Encourage them to breathe slowly and deeply: Instruct the person to breathe in through their nose for a count of 4, hold their breath for a count of 2, and then breathe out slowly through their mouth for a count of 6. Repeat this until they feel more relaxed.
* Help them to focus on their surroundings: Ask them to look around and name things that they can see, hear, touch or smell. This can help ground them in the present moment.
* Offer to help them to a quiet place: Sometimes the environment can trigger a panic attack. Offer to take them to a quiet and calm place where they can relax.
* Don't give them medication: You shouldn't give medication unless it has been prescribed by a doctor or a medical professional.
* Call for professional help if necessary: If the panic attack doesn't subside or if the person has trouble breathing, chest pain, or other severe symptoms, call for emergency medical assistance right away.

Remember, everyone's experience with panic attacks is different, so it's important to be patient, understanding, and supportive.

assistant: Sure! Here's a bullet list of actions you can take to help someone having a panic attack:

1. Remain calm and offer reassurance. Let them know that their feelings are valid and that they're safe.
2. Help them to slow down their breathing. Encourage them to take slow, deep breaths and offer them your hand or shoulder to focus on.
3. Encourage them to focus on their senses. Try distracting their thoughts by asking them to name five things they can see, four things they can hear, three things they can touch, two things they can smell, and one thing they can taste.
4. Offer them a drink of water. This can help to regulate their breathing and ground them in the present moment.
5. Ask them if they need to leave the situation that triggered the panic attack. If so, offer to accompany them to a quieter space or to seek medical assistance.
6. If possible, encourage them to seek professional help from a therapist or psychiatrist.

Remember, everyone is different, so it's important to always tailor your approach to the individual and their specific needs. Keep an open mind and be patient with them, as panic attacks can be very overwhelming and scary, but with the right support, they can overcome this challenge.

assistant: Don't pressure them:
• Try not to put pressure on your friend or family member to do more than they feel comfortable with. It's really important to be patient, listen to their wishes and take things at a pace that feels okay for them.
• It's understandable to want to help them face their fears or find practical solutions, but it can be very distressing for someone to feel they're being forced into situations before they feel ready. This could even make their anxiety worse.
• Try to remember that being unable to control their worries is part of having anxiety, and they aren't choosing how they feel.

Know what to say. It's helpful when the person is having a panic attack to:
• Ask about their experience. You could ask them how anxiety affects their day-to-day life, and what makes it better or worse.
> • Listening to how they experience things could help you to empathize with how they feel.

• Ask how you can help. Your friend or family member may already know how you can support them – for example, helping them with difficult situations, talking to them calmly or doing breathing exercises with them.
> • By asking them what they need or how you can help, you can support them to feel more in control themselves.
> • Knowing that there is someone around who knows what to do if they start to feel frightened or panicked could help them feel safer and calmer.

That said:
• try to stay calm
• gently let them know that you think they might be having a panic attack and that you are there for them
• Move the person to a quiet place.
• Ask what the person needs.
• Speak to the person in short, simple sentences.
• Be predictable, and avoid surprises.
• Help the person focus.
• Ask the person to repeat a simple, physically tiring task such as raising his or her arms over the head.
• Help slow the person's breathing. (You can do this by breathing with him or her or by counting slowly to 10).

By using these tips, you can help:
• Reduce the amount of stress in this very stressful situation.
• Prevent the situation from getting worse.
• Put some control in a confusing situation.

Support them to seek help:
• If you think your friend or family member's anxiety is becoming a problem for them, you could encourage them to seek treatment by talking to a GP or therapist.
• Offer to help them arrange a doctor's appointment. If they are scared of leaving the house, you could suggest they ring their GP to find out if they will do home visits and telephone appointments.
• Offer support when they attend appointments. You could offer to go with them to their appointments and wait in the waiting room. You can also help them plan what they'd like to talk about with the doctor. See our page on talking to your GP for more information.
• Help them seek help from a therapist. See our page on how to find a therapist for more information.
• Help them research different options for support, such as community services or peer support groups.

assistant: make sure try to understand them and consolidate them as much as you can...make them calm down, but be nice to them..ask them what is the root cause of panic attack...move on based on their root cause and help them