If you are thinking, “I think I’m having a panic attack,” you are in exactly the right place. Your heart might be racing, your chest might feel tight, and your brain is firing warning signals you can’t seem to switch off.In this episode of Calming Anxiety, host Martin Hewlett—a clinical hypnotherapist and former frontline paramedic—explains exactly what is happening inside your body and provides the immediate tools you need to stop a panic attack in its tracks. Learn how to transition from fight-or-flight back to safety by shifting your biological signals from adrenaline to absolute calm.Episode Chapters & Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction: Understanding the Chemistry of Panic An introduction to what a panic attack physically feels like, and reassurance that what you are experiencing is a natural, non-dangerous chemical survival response.
02:16 – The Vagus Nerve Breathing Technique A guided, step-by-step breathing pattern (4-2-6) specifically designed to activate your vagus nerve—the physical brake cable of your central nervous system.
03:57 – Guided Visualization: You Are the Sky, Not the Storm A calming mental exercise to help you disconnect from overwhelming thoughts, shifting your perspective to realize that panic is just a passing cloud.
06:06 – Affirmations for Deep Cellular Calm A series of powerful, repetitive affirmations engineered to settle into the automatic, subconscious layers of your mind.
08:51 – 3 Daily Caring Tips for Managing Panic Practical, actionable advice to help you navigate future anxiety spikes and quickly metabolize residual adrenaline.
10:12 – Outro & Rewiring the Panic Response Closing thoughts on how staying present alters your brain's relationship with anxiety, and how to access deeper therapeutic tools.

Guided Affirmations to Repeat InternallyAllow these words to sink into the automatic programs of your mind, teaching your nervous system a brand-new response to stress:

"I am not in danger. I am in chemistry, and chemistry passes."
"My body is not my enemy. It is doing its best to protect me."
"This feeling has a peak, and I am already moving through it."
"I choose to breathe rather than flee, and that choice is enough."
"I am calm. I am steady. I am held."

3 Daily Caring Tips for a Happier Life

Label It Out Loud: The very next time you feel anxiety rising, name it explicitly. Saying, "This is a panic attack, I know what it is, and it will pass," shifts processing from your emotional amygdala to your logical prefrontal cortex.
Take It 5 Minutes at a Time: A panic attack forces the brain to catastrophize time, making it feel permanent. Remember that a physical panic peak typically lasts only 2 to 5 minutes. Don't fight forever—just stay with it for five minutes.
Move Something Small: Adrenaline leaves a lingering physical residue in your muscles. Instead of sitting perfectly still, complete your body's natural stress cycle by taking a gentle walk, rolling your shoulders, or pressing your feet firmly into the floor to clear the chemistry out of your system.

Rewire the Panic Response at the RootIf you are ready to move past quick fixes and fundamentally change how your brain reacts to stress, explore the Anxiety Circuit Breaker Course at calminganxiety.fm.This comprehensive framework consists of 5 full clinical hypnotherapy sessions meticulously structured to interrupt panic loops, soothe the nervous system, and restore long-term mental balance for just $67. Take control of your wellness journey today.Smile often, my friend. Positive thoughts whenever you can. And then,...

00:00 – Introduction: Understanding the Chemistry of Panic An introduction to what a panic attack physically feels like, and reassurance that what you are experiencing is a natural, non-dangerous chemical survival response.
02:16 – The Vagus Nerve Breathing Technique A guided, step-by-step breathing pattern (4-2-6) specifically designed to activate your vagus nerve—the physical brake cable of your central nervous system.
03:57 – Guided Visualization: You Are the Sky, Not the Storm A calming mental exercise to help you disconnect from overwhelming thoughts, shifting your perspective to realize that panic is just a passing cloud.
06:06 – Affirmations for Deep Cellular Calm A series of powerful, repetitive affirmations engineered to settle into the automatic, subconscious layers of your mind.
08:51 – 3 Daily Caring Tips for Managing Panic Practical, actionable advice to help you navigate future anxiety spikes and quickly metabolize residual adrenaline.
10:12 – Outro & Rewiring the Panic Response Closing thoughts on how staying present alters your brain's relationship with anxiety, and how to access deeper therapeutic tools.

Guided Affirmations to Repeat InternallyAllow these words to sink into the automatic programs of your mind, teaching your nervous system a brand-new response to stress:

"I am not in danger. I am in chemistry, and chemistry passes."
"My body is not my enemy. It is doing its best to protect me."
"This feeling has a peak, and I am already moving through it."
"I choose to breathe rather than flee, and that choice is enough."
"I am calm. I am steady. I am held."

3 Daily Caring Tips for a Happier Life

Label It Out Loud: The very next time you feel anxiety rising, name it explicitly. Saying, "This is a panic attack, I know what it is, and it will pass," shifts processing from your emotional amygdala to your logical prefrontal cortex.
Take It 5 Minutes at a Time: A panic attack forces the brain to catastrophize time, making it feel permanent. Remember that a physical panic peak typically lasts only 2 to 5 minutes. Don't fight forever—just stay with it for five minutes.
Move Something Small: Adrenaline leaves a lingering physical residue in your muscles. Instead of sitting perfectly still, complete your body's natural stress cycle by taking a gentle walk, rolling your shoulders, or pressing your feet firmly into the floor to clear the chemistry out of your system.

I Think I'm Having a Panic Attack — Guid...