Having a panic attack? Stay calm and focus on your breathing to help regain control, expert says

‘I’m dying’ and ‘I felt like I was having a heart attack’, say two victims of their first panic attack – they often come on suddenly without any warning

The global pandemic has heightened stress and uncertainty for many people, triggering more anxiety disorders, psychotherapist explains

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Panic attacks are on the increase, especially with the pressure and uncertainty surrounding the global pandemic, but there are ways to combat them. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 7:15am, 30 Jun 2021Updated: 9:59am, 30 Jun 2021

At the height of Hong Kong’s fourth wave of Covid-19 infections, Sasha was working from home when suddenly her heart started thumping, her hands trembled over the keyboard and her vision went blurry.

“It came out of the blue. I thought, this is it, I’m dying,” says the 38-year-old, who works in finance.

Sasha – not her real name – had just had her first panic attack, a brief episode of intense anxiety which causes the physical sensations of fear. The sudden onset and the intensity of a panic attack can make it a very frightening experience, especially if it is your first one, but panic attacks are not uncommon.

Many people will have a panic attack in their life – figures from the US suggest that every year 11 per cent of Americans experience one – and women are affected twice as much as men. With the pressure and uncertainty surrounding the global pandemic, we’ve seen an increase in anxiety disorders, including panic attacks.

Teresa Chan is a cognitive behavioural psychotherapist at Central Minds in Hong Kong. Photo: May Tse

“I’ve definitely noticed an increase in anxiety and stress-related issues in the last year, and some of those are struggling with panic attacks,” says Teresa Chan, a cognitive behavioural psychotherapist at Central Minds in Hong Kong.