This super dangerous advice about how to help someone who is having a panic attack is circling the internet and I am SHOOK by how wrong it is.
FOR FUCKS SAKE NO!!!!
DO NOT – I REPEAT – !!!! DO NOT !!!! TOUCH SOMEONE WHO IS HAVING A PANIC ATTACK WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION!!
DONT TOUCH ANYONE WITHOUT PERMISSION BUT ESPECIALLY NOT SOMEONE WHO IS PANICKING!! THEY MAY BE HAVING TROUBLE BREATHING OR YOU MAY FRIGHTEN THEM MORE! DO. NOT. TOUCH!
And saying “they may resist at first but they will relax” is just….I’m having a panic attack thinking about this!!!
1. Get down to their level and try to make eye contact.
2. Speak gently to them and ask “is it alright if I touch you?”
3. If they say YES, slowly touch their shoulder, knee or hand in a gentle and non threatening manner.
4. Ask again “IS THIS OKAY”
5. instruct them to breathe. Take a breath in for 4 counts and blow out for 8.
6. Ask them questions. What day is it? What year? Ask them to look around the room and see how many circles they can find or any sort of patterns.
7. Ask them “can I hug you? Would that help?”
ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP!!!
NEVER EVER EVER EVVVVEEERRRRRR HUG SOMEONE MID PANIC ATTACK WITHOUT PERMISSION HOLY SHIT BALLS
A a psychology major I can tell you this is actually how Professors taught us to approach a patient who’s having a panic attack during therapy
For clarification, they told you the way in the screen shot or the way I corrected it?
write write write 