A panic attack is an overwhelming episode of fear and anxiety accompanied by intense physical and psychological symptoms (chest pain, racing heart, or heart palpitations, sweating, shaking, shortness of breath or choking sensation, nausea, dizziness, chills or hot flashes, feelings dread, or doom, loss of control, a feeling of going crazy, fear of dying, a loss of connection from reality or a feeling of detachment). They can occur suddenly and are an unconscious reaction of the body, which means they cannot be stopped on command — so telling someone to “just calm down” won’t help. Panic attacks usually last from a few minutes up to about half an hour. As unpleasant and scary as they may seem, panic attacks are not life-threatening.

The best approach is to remain calm, help the person sit down or lean on something stable, and stay with them until the symptoms subside.

If you want to prevent or reduce hyperventilation (rapid breathing, gasping for air, and deep, rapid exhalation into the chest), you can use some simple breathing techniques. The key is to focus on your own calm breathing: don’t hold your breath, start with an exhale, breathe deeply and slowly through your nose, and encourage the person to breathe with you. It doesn’t really matter which technique you use — what’s important is to learn one in advance and feel comfortable guiding someone through it. Keep in mind that you may need to go much slower and longer than what you might see in the video.

For more information and other calming techniques:
Verywell Health – Breathing Exercise for Panic Attacks

As long as the panic attack is improving over time, or if the person tells you that this is something they experience often, there is usually no need to call an ambulance. However, if you notice symptoms beyond what’s described above, if the episode isn’t getting better, if there’s been an accident, or if you’re otherwise concerned, don’t hesitate to call 112.