What should I do if I have an anxiety attack in public?

So here are three concrete tactics that you can deploy when you're having an anxiety attack in public. The first thing you can do is breathe. So when we're having anxiety, we shorten our breath. And when we shorten our breath, it almost exacerbates the symptoms of the anxiety. So if you just close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, you may notice that something shifts.

The second thing that you may need to do is tell someone, if you feel safe around you, that you're feeling anxious. Try and see if you have a sense of what you might need from someone. Maybe it's just for them to gently touch your hand. Maybe you need a glass of water. Maybe you need to sit down or lie down. So feel comfortable enough, at least in that moment, to let someone know they are having a hard time.

And the third thing you can do is just to try and be patient with the process. The anxiety will eventually move. You will eventually feel better. You'll eventually feel the ground beneath you. It may take a few minutes, but you're going to be okay.

Aimee Falchuk