How to Stop a Subthreshold Panic Attack: A Step-by-Step Guide
What Is a Subthreshold Panic Attack?
If you’ve ever dealt with panic attacks, you might be familiar with a frustrating in-between state: not quite a full-blown panic attack, but still trapped in intense, uncomfortable anxiety. I call this a subthreshold panic—a state where you remain stuck in a cycle of heightened anxiety without it culminating in a full panic attack.
The Spiral of Panic
Panic attacks can be conceptualized as a spiral—a cycle of fear that escalates until it peaks at a moment of extreme panic. This peak is similar to the sensation of narrowly avoiding a car crash: a sudden flood of adrenaline and an overwhelming sense of imminent danger.
However, in a subthreshold panic, you don’t quite reach that peak. Instead, you keep looping at a high level of anxiety. People experiencing this may feel physical symptoms like:
Tingling in the fingers and toes
Visual disturbances
Muscle tension
Tightness in the chest
A sense of energy coursing through the body
Difficulty breathing normally
Unlike a full panic attack, which typically peaks within 30 minutes, this state can last for hours, days, or even weeks in extreme cases.
What Causes a Subthreshold Panic Attack?
There are two common psychological patterns that maintain this anxious state:
Catastrophic Thinking: You may find yourself thinking, “What if this never ends?” or “I hate this feeling and I want it to go away.” These thoughts intensify your anxiety, keeping you trapped in the cycle.
Resistance to Symptoms: The more you resist the sensations—trying to push them away or suppress them—the more they persist. This resistance feeds the anxiety, prolonging the experience.
How to Break Free from Subthreshold Panic
The key to overcoming subthreshold panic is acceptance and mindfulness. Below is a step-by-step method you can use.
Step 1: Stop Resisting
Tell yourself, “If this has to last for weeks, so be it.” While this may feel counterintuitive, surrendering to the experience reduces resistance and helps break the cycle.
Step 2: Ground Yourself with Breathing
Sit in a comfortable position (a familiar meditation posture may help).
Notice your breath. Don’t try to control it—just observe the inhale and exhale.
If your breathing feels constricted, don’t force deep breaths. Instead, breathe naturally within your comfort zone.
If you feel like you’re not getting enough air, remind yourself that this sensation is an illusion—your body is actually over-breathing due to the fight-or-flight response.
Speed up your breathing slightly, if necessary, to stay within a comfortable range.
Step 3: Perform a Body Scan
Bring your attention to the top of your head.
Slowly scan down through your face, jaw, throat, shoulders, chest, and arms.
Continue down through your stomach, back, legs, and feet.
Identify the sensations that are most bothersome.
Step 4: Observe the Sensations Like a Scientist
Focus on the most uncomfortable sensation.
Imagine yourself as a scientist studying it.
Does it have a shape, color, or texture?
Is it moving? Pulsing? Expanding and contracting?
Observe it without judgment or expectation.
Step 5: Release Resistance
Notice if any part of you is mentally pushing away the sensation.
Imagine letting go of that resistance, as if opening a door and allowing the sensation full freedom.
If it intensifies at first, that’s okay—stay with it.
Step 6: Apply the Same Process to Other Symptoms
Once you’ve worked through one sensation, move on to another. By repeatedly doing this, you disrupt the panic cycle and lower your overall anxiety level.
How This Helps Long-Term
By practicing this approach, you train your brain to stop fearing panic. Eventually, you may even be able to apply this method in real time when anxiety arises, preventing a full-blown panic attack before it starts.
Final Thoughts
This exercise is just a starting point. If you struggle with chronic anxiety or panic attacks, structured therapy can provide deeper strategies tailored to your needs.
Want More Help?
I offer free consultations for those looking to understand their anxiety better. Click the link below to book a session. You can also subscribe to my Panic Survival Guide Newsletter for regular tips and strategies to manage anxiety effectively.
