--- title: "Panic attacks: what to do and NHS help | HealthAnswers" description: "A panic attack is a sudden surge of fear with physical symptoms. It is frightening but not dangerous in itself. The first severe episode still needs…" url: https://healthanswers.co.uk/conditions/panic-attacks/ robots: noindex --- # Panic attacks: what to do and NHS help | HealthAnswers Health A–Z A panic attack is a sudden surge of fear with physical symptoms. It is frightening but not dangerous in itself. The first severe episode still needs medical assessment. Written by HealthAnswers editorial team Medically reviewed by [Dr Neil Singh MBChB - nMRCGP](https://healthanswers.co.uk/our-doctors/neil-singh/) · GMC 7039648 Reviewed 13 August 2026 ## Quick answer Are panic attacks dangerous? A panic attack is a sudden surge of intense fear with a racing heart, chest tightness and breathlessness. It usually peaks within minutes. The first time you have severe chest pain, breathlessness or collapse, call 999 — do not assume it is panic. Recurring recognised panic is treated with therapy. Samaritans is 116 123. ## Who is this page for? This page is for people in the UK who want a plain-English overview of Panic attacks, including when to seek help and what NHS care usually involves. It explains general information, not what is wrong with you personally. ## Who should skip this page? Skip this page if you need a diagnosis, a prescription, or emergency care. It cannot replace a GP, pharmacist, NHS 111 or 999. If you are in immediate danger, call 999; for urgent advice that is not life-threatening, call 111 in England, Scotland or Wales, or use your GP out-of-hours service in Northern Ireland. On this page 8 sections ## Key facts about panic attacks - Symptoms peak quickly and then ease — they are intense, not a heart attack by default. - The first severe episode of chest pain or breathlessness still needs urgent medical assessment. - Breathing into a paper bag is not the NHS plan and can be harmful if the cause is not panic. - CBT and, sometimes, medicine help recurring attacks. - In England you can often self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies. - Samaritans is free on 116 123; call 999 if you cannot keep yourself safe. ## Should I use this page, or skip it? Use this page if you have sudden surges of fear with a racing heart and want the next UK step. Skip it and call 999 if this is the first time you have severe chest pain, collapse, or breathlessness you cannot control. Skip it and call Samaritans on 116 123 if you cannot keep yourself safe. This page cannot tell panic from a clot on the lung. The first severe episode gets a person, not a label. ## What does a panic attack feel like? A rush of fear with physical symptoms: racing heart, sweating, shaking, chest tightness, dizziness, nausea, tingling, or a feeling you cannot get enough air. It often peaks within 10 minutes. You may feel detached from your body or sure you are dying. See [anxiety](https://healthanswers.co.uk/conditions/anxiety/) if worry is more constant than sudden. See [palpitations](https://healthanswers.co.uk/symptoms/palpitations/) if the heart racing is the only story. ## How do I tell panic from a heart or lung emergency? You often cannot tell, the first time, which is why 999 exists. Sudden severe [chest pain](https://healthanswers.co.uk/symptoms/chest-pain/), [shortness of breath](https://healthanswers.co.uk/symptoms/shortness-of-breath/) you cannot control, blue lips, or collapse is 999. Once a clinician has recognised a panic pattern, later similar episodes can be treated as panic. If an attack feels different — pain on exertion, one-sided weakness, a thunderclap headache — call 999 again. Being wrong about panic is cheaper than being wrong about a heart attack. ## What should I do in the moment? Sit down somewhere safe, slow the out-breath, and look at something in the room while you wait for the peak to pass. Do not drive, and do not breathe into a paper bag. If you have an asthma inhaler and this might be asthma, use your asthma plan instead. Name five things you can see. The goal is to ride the peak, not to argue with the fear until it agrees to leave. ## Should I go to A&E every time? No, not once a clinician has assessed you and the pattern is recognised panic. Repeated A&E visits for the same attack can delay the therapy that actually shrinks them. Go again if the symptoms are new, worse, or include collapse, one-sided weakness, or pain on exertion. A GP can write that distinction down so you are not guessing in a supermarket car park. ## How is recurring panic treated? CBT has strong evidence for shrinking how often attacks return. In England you can often self-refer to [NHS Talking Therapies](https://healthanswers.co.uk/treatments/talking-therapies/). A GP may discuss medicine such as an SSRI. Avoiding caffeine and alcohol helps some people, while avoiding places usually makes the map of fear bigger. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, start with a GP for talking therapies. Call 111 in Great Britain if you need urgent mental health advice and it is not 999; in Northern Ireland use GP out-of-hours on [nidirect](https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/gp-out-hours-services). ## Do NHS doors differ across the UK? Call 111 in England, Scotland and Wales if you need urgent mental health advice and are not in immediate danger; Northern Ireland uses GP out-of-hours via nidirect rather than a general 111 service. Talking therapies are reached by self-referral in England and usually via a GP in the other nations. 999 is the same emergency number everywhere. Samaritans on 116 123 is free from any UK nation. A first severe episode still gets a person in front of you, not a label from this article. If an attack includes one-sided weakness or a sudden severe headache, that is 999 for a different reason than panic. A GP, pharmacist or clinic in any UK nation can still start the right pathway even if the local scheme name differs. Take a list of medicines, and say if you are pregnant, on other tablets, or cannot keep yourself safe. ## Who should skip this page? Skip this page if you already need 999 or a crisis line. It is not a paper-bag tutorial, not a children’s panic pathway, and not permission to ignore new chest pain because you have had panic before. If an attack includes one-sided weakness or a sudden severe headache, that is 999 for a different reason. ## ! When to see a GP about panic attacks Call **999** for the first episode of severe chest pain, collapse, or breathlessness you cannot control, or if symptoms feel different from your usual panic. See a GP or refer to NHS Talking Therapies if attacks keep happening. If you cannot keep yourself safe, call 999, Samaritans on **116 123**, or text SHOUT to **85258**. ## Common questions about panic attacks How do I know it is panic and not a heart attack? You often cannot, the first time. That is why 999 exists for sudden severe chest pain, breathlessness, or collapse. Once a clinician has assessed you and recognised a panic pattern, later similar episodes can be treated as panic. If an attack feels different — pain on exertion, one-sided weakness, a thunderclap headache — call 999 again. What should I do during an attack? Sit somewhere safe, plant your feet, and slow your breathing: in through the nose, out longer through the mouth. Name five things you can see. Do not run or drive. Do not breathe into a paper bag. The peak usually passes within minutes even though it does not feel like it will. Can I refer myself for NHS help? In England, adults can usually refer themselves to NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and panic without a GP. CBT has good evidence. A GP can also discuss medicine such as an SSRI. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, start with a GP for talking therapies. You do not have to wait until attacks have taken over daily life. Will I pass out or die from a panic attack? A panic attack is frightening and can feel like dying. It is not dangerous in itself once other causes have been ruled out. Fainting is uncommon. If you do faint, or you have chest pain that is new, get urgent assessment rather than talking yourself out of 999. Samaritans is 116 123 if you cannot cope afterwards. Should I avoid the places where I panic? Avoidance shrinks life and can make panic worse. Therapy works on facing feared situations in a planned way, not on forcing yourself through a supermarket on a bad day with no support. A therapist or GP can help you pace that. Do not use someone else's diazepam to get through a shop. ## Sources - [NHS — Panic disorder](https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/panic-disorder/) - [NHS — Anxiety, fear and panic](https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/feelings-symptoms-behaviours/feelings-and-symptoms/anxiety-fear-panic/) - [NHS — Talking therapies](https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/nhs-talking-therapies/)