I remember a client who started having a panic attack during a therapy session. As her breathing became rapid and a look of horror crept over her face, I modelled slow, deliberate breathing. Then, I asked her a simple question: What did you have for dinner last night? At first, she was startled by the question, wondering what kind of fool I was asking a silly question when she was clearly panicking. I persisted “Just answer the question please”. “Soup” she said. I asked she if she’d made it herself and, if so, how had she done it. She answered me, detailing each step in the making of minestrone soup – a recipe passed down from her grandmother. And in doing so, her panic attack came to an end. By shifting her focus from terror - to initial frustration that I appeared to be ignoring her distress and asking silly questions - and then on to the mundaneness of how it is that you make minestrone soup, the panic lost its hold.

Panic disorder is like facing a personal boggart—our deepest fear. Just as in the world of Harry Potter, where a boggart only holds power whilst we fear it, panic only retains its grip when our fear feeds it. Learning to disarm this little fiend requires an understanding of what happens to us physically during a panic attack, and mastering techniques to stamp it out.

Understanding the Anatomy of Panic

When a panic attack overwhelms us, it’s more than just anxiety—it’s a full-body response, designed to protect us from immediate danger. Here’s what happens physically:

The Sympathetic Nervous System Reacts: The brain, sensing a threat, activates the fight-or-flight response. This triggers the release of adrenaline and other stress hormones.

Rapid Heartbeat: The heart pumps faster to supply more oxygen to muscles, preparing the body to run or fight.

Shallow Breathing: Quick, shallow breaths aim to increase oxygen intake but can lead to dizziness and a sense of breathlessness.

Muscle Tension: The body tenses up in anticipation of physical action.

Sweating and Chills: The body’s temperature regulation shifts to prepare for potential action, causing these sensations.

Digestive Changes: Blood flow moves away from the digestive system, which can cause nausea or an upset stomach.

While these reactions are adaptive when facing a genuine threat, during a panic attack there is no real threat – it's just a false alarm.

Taming the Fear: Facing the Boggart of Panic

In Harry Potter, Professor Lupin teaches that to defeat a boggart, you must transform it into something laughable. The same principle applies to panic attacks: when we face them without fear, their power diminishes. Here’s how to weaken the “panic boggart”:

1. Calming the Physiological Response

Controlled Breathing: Slowing your breath helps signal to your body that it’s safe to deactivate the fight-or-flight response. Try the 4-7-8 technique: inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, and exhale slowly for 8 seconds.

Grounding Techniques: Engage your senses to ground yourself in the present. Name five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Relax muscle groups one at a time, moving from your head right down to your feet. This helps release built-up tension and soothes the nervous system.

2. Challenging Catastrophic Thoughts

A key element of panic are the racing, catastrophic thoughts: I’m going to die, I’m losing control, or I’m having a heart attack. These thoughts fuel fear and perpetuate panic. Here’s how to challenge them:

Question the Evidence: Ask yourself, What’s the evidence that I’m in danger? If you’ve had panic attacks before, remind yourself that they’ve always passed without causing any real harm.

Reality Check: Remind yourself that panic attacks, while extremely uncomfortable, are not life-threatening. You are safe, and this feeling will pass.

Reframe the Thoughts: Instead of thinking, I can’t handle this, try, I have handled this before, and I will get through it again.

Overcoming the Fear of Panic

The true turning point in managing panic is learning not to fear it. Fear is the fuel that keeps the panic boggart alive. When we remind ourselves that a panic attack cannot truly harm us, its grip weakens. Here are some reminders to keep in mind:

Panic Is Temporary: It peaks within minutes and then gradually disappears again – like a big wave. The more you remind yourself of this, the less power it holds.

You Are in Control: Though it may not feel like it, you have tools to manage your body’s response.

Practice Makes Progress: Using these techniques regularly, even when you’re not panicking, makes them more effective when you need them.

Conclusion

If we face our panic without fear, we strip it of its power, just as Professor Lupin’s students did with their boggarts. When we learn to calm our physiological responses, challenge our catastrophic thoughts, and redirect our attention, panic loses its ability to control us. The next time a wave of panic looms, remember: it’s just a boggart. And with the right tools and mindset, you can turn it into something manageable, even laughable. The real magic lies in knowing that you have the strength to master it.