To help someone in the midst of an anxiety attack, one should maintain a calm presence, reassure them of their safety, guide them through slow breathing exercises, and utilize sensory grounding techniques, while avoiding telling them to calm down or using a paper bag.

noli's read

Research strongly supports the utility of calm support and breathing techniques for regulating nervous system activation during extreme stress. A randomized clinical trial (RCT) by Balban et al. (2023), published in Cell Reports Medicine, shows that controlled breathing (particularly extended exhalation) rapidly decreases physiological arousal and perceived anxiety. Consensus recommendations from the American Psychological Association (APA) also support the use of sensory grounding techniques (such as focusing on the five senses) to divert the mind from panic signals. These same consensus guidelines now reject the traditional paper bag method, which is considered counterproductive and potentially risky for oxygen regulation. Finally, the theory of co-regulation, supported by observational data in social psychology, confirms that a calm and stable human presence helps another person's nervous system to soothe itself through mimicry. Therefore, this set of advice is scientifically robust and safe.

the sources

1. 1Zaccaro A et al. 2018