Panic attacks can feel overwhelming, leading many to develop habits or behaviors intended to prevent or reduce their intensity. These habits, known as safety behaviors, might seem helpful in the moment, but they often play a significant role in sustaining and even exacerbating panic over time. To truly break free from the cycle of panic, it's essential to recognize, address, and gradually let go of safety behaviors.

What Are Safety Behaviors?

Safety behaviors are actions or strategies people use to cope with fear or anxiety in the moment. These behaviors are often subtle and can include things like carrying water to avoid feeling faint, sitting near an exit at all times, avoiding certain foods to prevent discomfort, or relying on distractions like scrolling through a phone during a panic attack.

While safety behaviors provide temporary relief, they send a powerful message to your brain: “Panic is dangerous, and I need to protect myself from it.” This reinforces the belief that panic is something to fear and avoid, keeping you stuck in the cycle of anxiety.

Examples of Safety Behaviors in Panic

1. Physical Safety Behaviors

• Sitting down or lying down as soon as symptoms appear.

• Carrying medication or water "just in case."

• Avoiding caffeine, sugar, or other substances for fear they might trigger symptoms.

2. Cognitive Safety Behaviors

• Reassuring yourself repeatedly (e.g., "I’m okay, this will pass").

• Mentally reviewing symptoms to "check" for danger.

• Distracting yourself with music, your phone, or other activities to avoid noticing symptoms.

3. Situational Safety Behaviors

• Avoiding crowded places or long lines.

• Sitting near exits or windows.

• Bringing a trusted person to every situation in case of a panic attack.

How Safety Behaviors Sustain Panic

Safety behaviors might seem harmless, but they have significant consequences for anxiety and panic:

1. Preventing Corrective Experiences
   Safety behaviors stop you from fully experiencing and realizing that panic is not dangerous. For example, if you always sit down during a panic attack to prevent fainting, you never give your body the chance to show you that fainting is extremely unlikely during panic.

2. Reinforcing Fear
   Each time you rely on a safety behavior, you’re reinforcing the idea that panic is threatening and requires protection. This keeps the fear alive and prevents desensitization.

3. Reducing Confidence
   Safety behaviors undermine your belief in your ability to handle panic on your own. Over time, you might feel more dependent on these behaviors and less capable of coping without them.

4. Generalizing Avoidance
   Safety behaviors often lead to avoiding more and more situations, further shrinking your comfort zone and reinforcing agoraphobia or other forms of avoidance.

Addressing Safety Behaviors

The key to breaking free from the panic cycle is to gradually reduce and eliminate safety behaviors while directly facing the feared sensations and situations. Here’s how to start:

1. Identify Your Safety Behaviors

Begin by observing your patterns during panic. Ask yourself:

• What do I do to "feel safe" when I’m anxious?

• Are there objects or people I rely on during panic episodes?

• What do I avoid to prevent panic from happening?

Awareness is the first step in changing these habits.

2. Challenge and Replace Them

Once you’ve identified safety behaviors, start challenging them one at a time. For example:

• If you always carry water, try leaving it behind for short periods and gradually extend the time.

• If you avoid crowded places, spend a few minutes in a moderately crowded area and build up to larger crowds.

Replace these behaviors with mindfulness or acceptance strategies, like grounding exercises or allowing sensations to rise and fall naturally.

3. Use Exposure Therapy

Combine the reduction of safety behaviors with exposure therapy. By intentionally facing your fears without the crutch of safety behaviors, you allow for corrective experiences, where you learn that panic is not dangerous and symptoms will pass on their own.

4. Embrace Discomfort as a Path to Freedom

Letting go of safety behaviors is uncomfortable at first, but it’s a necessary step toward reclaiming your life. Each time you resist the urge to use a safety behavior, you build resilience and confidence in your ability to handle panic without avoidance.

Final Thoughts

Safety behaviors may feel like your lifeline during a panic attack, but they’re ultimately keeping you trapped in the cycle of fear. By identifying, challenging, and gradually letting go of these behaviors, you allow your brain to learn that panic is not dangerous, breaking the cycle for good.

When paired with tools like ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) and exposure therapy, addressing safety behaviors can lead to profound and lasting change. It might feel daunting, but every step you take toward releasing safety behaviors is a step toward freedom from panic. Remember, the goal isn’t to avoid panic but to change your relationship with it—and that’s where true recovery begins.