Panic attacks can be really overwhelming and scary, often bringing on extreme anxiety. A lot of people feel dizzy during a panic attack, and that can lead to worrying they might pass out. But does that happen?
Turns out, fainting during a panic attack is super rare. Only about 2% of people say they’ve passed out during one. The dizziness or light-headedness happens because your breathing speeds up (“it’s called hyperventilation”), which lowers the carbon dioxide in your blood. This makes you feel faint, but it usually doesn’t mean you’ll lose consciousness.
In this article, we’ll dive into why you feel dizzy or faint during a panic attack and share some tips to help you stay calm and take back control when it happens.
Panic attacks are tough, but you got this. There are ways to manage them and feel better.
Can Panic Attacks Make You Pass Out?
Short answer: yes, it can happen, but again, it’s pretty rare. Feeling dizzy during a panic attack? Absolutely. It’s super common to experience lightheadedness, faintness, or general dizziness during an episode.
Most of these symptoms come from changes in how you’re breathing. Panic attacks often cause you to breathe out too much carbon dioxide and not take in enough oxygen. This can lead to hyperventilation, which might make you feel like you’re about to pass out.
What is a Panic Attack?
A panic attack is a sudden, intense episode of fear and anxiety that occurs without warning. It can trigger strong physical and emotional reactions, often feeling overwhelming or out of control. Many people describe symptoms such as rapid breathing, a racing heart, dizziness, and a sense of losing control, which can mimic serious conditions like a heart attack.
Panic attacks occur when the body is flooded with adrenaline, causing these intense reactions. While some people may experience them only once or twice, others may develop panic disorder, where attacks occur frequently and unpredictably. This uncertainty can lead to ongoing fear and anxiety, impacting daily life.
Approximately 4.7% of Americans will experience panic disorder at some point in their lives, with women being more commonly affected than men. If left untreated, this condition can lead to challenges such as work impairments or even hospitalization.
Although panic attacks feel distressing, they are not physically dangerous. Effective treatments and strategies are available to help manage symptoms and regain control, making it possible to reduce their impact and improve quality of life.
What Happens to Your Body During a Panic Attack?
A panic attack is your body sounding the alarm when it thinks it’s in danger—even if there’s no actual threat. This is tied to your fight-or-flight response, which dates back to when our ancestors needed to either fend off predators or run for their lives.
What are the signs of panic attacks?
When you have a panic attack, your body gets a surge of adrenaline (a stress hormone). This triggers physical symptoms like:
- Faster heart rate (to pump blood to your muscles in case you need to act fast)
- Quickened breathing (to take in more oxygen to fuel your muscles)
- Sweating (to cool your body down in preparation for action)
What Causes Fainting or Dizziness During a Panic Attack
If you’ve experienced panic attacks, you may have felt lightheaded or dizzy due to hyperventilation, which reduces carbon dioxide levels in your blood. While this can feel alarming, it’s not life-threatening, and the body’s response during a panic attack usually prevents you from passing out.
Understanding why these sensations occur can help you manage and overcome the intense feelings of fear. Below, we’ll explore the primary causes of dizziness and faintness during a panic attack.
Hyperventilation
Hyperventilation, or rapid and shallow breathing, is one of the most common causes of dizziness during a panic attack. When you over-breathe, you exhale too much carbon dioxide, which disrupts the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your blood. This imbalance causes blood vessels, including those in the brain, to constrict, leading to feelings of lightheadedness, weakness, and unsteadiness.
While hyperventilation can theoretically lead to fainting, it rarely does in the context of a panic attack. Most individuals will experience intense discomfort without losing consciousness.
Adrenaline Release
Panic attacks often trigger the release of adrenaline (epinephrine), a hormone central to the body’s “fight or flight” response. Adrenaline prepares the body to respond to perceived danger, even when no real threat exists. This surge can cause a variation of physical symptoms, including dizziness, blurred vision, increased heart rate, trembling, and restlessness.
Adrenaline triggers the release of glucose to give the body energy. If this energy isn’t used, like during a panic attack, it can cause agitation and nervousness. Sometimes, it can also lead to a temporary drop in blood pressure, called orthostatic hypotension, which may cause dizziness.
Brain Function During a Panic Attack
During a panic attack, certain areas of the brain become hyperactive, while others reduce activity. This shift in brain function, combined with the body’s exaggerated stress response, can contribute to feelings of faintness or disorientation. The brain’s focus becomes narrowly tuned to survival, amplifying sensations of dizziness and physical discomfort.
Fainting is rare during a panic attack. The body’s response usually prevents it, as blood pressure and heart rate stay elevated, unlike the drop in blood pressure that causes fainting.

When to Be Concerned: Panic Attacks vs. Medical Conditions
Sometimes, symptoms of a panic attack can overlap with those of other medical conditions, so it’s important to know when you should seek medical advice.
How to Differentiate Between a Panic Attack and Serious Issues
- Heart Problems: If you’re experiencing chest pain that spreads to your arms, neck, or jaw, seek immediate help since it could be a heart attack.
- Low Blood Pressure: Feeling faint after standing up quickly could point to orthostatic hypotension.
- Seizures: If you lose consciousness and experience jerking movements, it’s worth getting checked for possible seizures.
If you’re unsure, always talk to a doctor. It’s better to stay on the side of caution.
When to Seek Medical Attention
- Your symptoms come on without any clear stressors.
- You’ve fainted before and don’t know why.
- Dizziness persists even after calming down.
How to Stop Yourself from Passing Out During a Panic Attack
Panic attacks can be overwhelming and scary, but there are ways to help manage and prevent them.
Here are some tips that can help:
1. Grounding Techniques to Stay Present
When you feel panic creeping in, grounding techniques can help you stay calm by focusing on what’s happening right now. These techniques work by using your senses to bring your attention back to the present moment.
Here are a few simple ways to try it:
- The 5-4-3-2-1 Method: Look around and name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can feel, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. This helps your mind focus on your surroundings instead of your worries.
- Hold something cold: Grab an ice cube or a cold drink and hold it. Pay attention to how it feels in your hand—its temperature, shape, and texture. This can help distract your brain from panic.
- Focus on an object’s details: Pick up something nearby, like a pen or a key. Look closely at its color, shape, and texture. Run your fingers over it and notice how it feels. This small action can help ground you and make you feel more in control.
These techniques are easy to do anywhere and help you feel calmer when things seem overwhelming. Give them a try the next time you feel anxious!
Breathing Exercises
Breathing is one of the simplest and most effective tools for managing anxiety and panic attacks. By learning to control your breath, you can calm your body, reduce hyperventilation, and even lower the likelihood of a panic attack occurring in the first place. Mindful breathing isn’t just a reactive tool—it can also serve as a preventative measure, especially for managing nocturnal panic attacks that strike during sleep.
Techniques to Try
One popular method is the 4-7-8 Technique, where you breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds. This pattern helps slow your heart rate and relax your body. Another option is Deep Diaphragmatic Breathing, which focuses on breathing deeply into your belly instead of shallow breaths in your chest. This technique ensures a steady flow of oxygen, grounding your body and mind.
Why Breath Control Matters
Practicing breath control has wide-ranging benefits beyond just managing panic attacks. Research shows that it can:
- Lower stress levels
- Improve sleep quality
- Strengthen lung function
- Reduce high blood pressure
- Enhance mindfulness and focus
- Boost cognitive performance
A particularly effective method to explore is pranayama, an ancient Indian practice that teaches you to regulate your breath. Pranayama techniques are designed to soothe both mind and body, making them an excellent tool for managing anxiety or panic.
Quick Breathing Exercise for Panic
If you feel anxiety building or sense a panic attack coming on, try this simple breathing exercise:
- Find a quiet space where you can sit or lie down comfortably.
- Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of 5.
- Hold your breath for a count of 3.
- Exhale gently through your mouth for a count of 6.
- Repeat this cycle at least 8 times.
This exercise is designed to restore balance in your breathing, helping your body get the right mix of oxygen and carbon dioxide. It not only eases anxiety but also helps you regain control, reducing dizziness and other physical symptoms of hyperventilation.
Breathing exercises are an accessible, natural way to help you manage panic and anxiety. With regular practice, they can become a key part of your toolkit for staying calm and centered in even the most overwhelming moments.
3. Lifestyle Changes
Building a calmer baseline in your body can significantly reduce the frequency of anxiety attacks:
- Stay active by engaging in at least 30 minutes of exercise, 3-5 times a week. Activities like yoga can help regulate breathing, running can release endorphins, and swimming can improve overall mood and relaxation.
- Limit your intake of stimulants such as caffeine and energy drinks, as they can increase heart rate and mimic anxiety symptoms like restlessness or jitters.
- Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night by maintaining a consistent bedtime routine. Incorporate relaxation techniques like 10-15 minutes of daily meditation or deep breathing exercises to calm your mind and body.
How to Manage and Treat Panic Attacks
Breath control is just one tool for managing panic attacks. Therapy also plays a key role in teaching long-term strategies to reduce anxiety and prevent panic symptoms. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), for example, helps reframe anxious thoughts, while exposure therapy can gradually reduce fear triggers. Some people may benefit from medication, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which work to balance mood. Others also find anxiety art therapy effective to keep them calm and relaxed.
Yet even with treatment, studies show that 1 in 3 people with panic disorder continue to experience persistent panic attacks. This highlights the importance of combining multiple strategies, like therapy, breathing exercises, and stress management, for the best results.
Good Read: How To Stop Panic Attacks at Night

Frequently Asked Questions About Panic Attacks
Still, have some questions about panic attacks? Find answers to common concerns and gain better understanding of how to manage them.
What happens if you pass out from a panic attack?
It’s rare to pass out during a panic attack. If it happens, it may be due to hyperventilation or a related condition like vasovagal syncope. Recovery is usually quick once the person relaxes.
Can you pass away from a panic attack?
No, panic attacks are not life-threatening. While they can feel intense, they don’t cause death. However, persistent symptoms should be discussed with a healthcare provider.
How to get someone out of a panic attack?
Stay calm, encourage slow breathing, and help them focus on grounding techniques (e.g., naming objects around them). Avoid dismissing their feelings and offer reassurance.
How long can you pass out from a panic attack?
Fainting, while uncommon, is usually brief and only lasts a few seconds to a minute. Medical evaluation is advised if it happens frequently.
What is a Vasovagal syncope panic attack?
This is when a person faints during a panic attack due to a sudden drop in heart rate and blood pressure, often triggered by stress or fear.
What to do if someone passes out from a panic attack?
Lay them flat, elevate their legs, and ensure they are breathing normally. Once they wake, offer reassurance and suggest seeking medical advice if needed.
Can you die from a panic attack?
No, panic attacks cannot cause death. However, the symptoms can be frightening and may mimic other conditions, so it’s important to rule out underlying issues with a doctor.
You Don’t Have to Live with Panic Attacks
To set the record straight—fainting isn’t something you need to fear during a panic attack. Those dizzying, overwhelming sensations are scary, but they’re unlikely to make you pass out. Understanding the science behind panic attacks can bring some peace of mind, while grounding techniques and lifestyle changes can help you manage them more effectively.
“Panic attacks don’t have to control your life. You can learn to manage them and feel more at ease each day.”
— Marjorie Felix, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC
If anxiety feels like it’s taking over your life, don’t hesitate to check anxiety treatment options. It’s a great first step to learning about your symptoms and connecting with a therapist who can support you.