Daily · Oct 10, 2026 · Cool water

What to do during a panic attack: run cool water over your wrists

Help My Attacks · Today’s tool

When panic hits, your body is running a false alarm: fast heart, hot face, a mind that won’t slow down. Telling yourself to relax rarely reaches that part of you.

A clear physical sensation sometimes does. Cool water is a simple, strong signal your senses can’t ignore, and it gives your attention one concrete thing to land on. For many people a cold cue also nudges the body toward settling. It won’t switch the wave off, and it doesn’t have to. It just gives you something steady while the peak passes.

How to try it

• Go to the nearest sink and run the water cool, not icy.
• Hold your wrists under it for 20 to 30 seconds.
• Notice the temperature, the sound, the way it moves over your skin.
• Let your exhale run a little longer than your inhale if you can.

No sink nearby? A cold drink held in your hands or a cool pack works too. If you have a heart condition, skip anything very cold. You are still here.

For more free tools, keep our coping tools nearby.

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