How Long Do Panic Attacks Last? Why Some Feel Longer

Updated 26 October 2026

How long does a typical panic attack last?

Usually between 5 and 20 minutes. That's the NHS figure, and it adds that some attacks have been reported to last up to an hour¹. The US National Institute of Mental Health gives a similar range: from a few minutes to an hour, sometimes longer².

When is a panic attack at its worst?

Early on. Symptoms build quickly and typically peak within about 10 minutes, then begin to fade³. That's why the first few minutes feel the most overwhelming. It also means the aim in those minutes isn't to stop the attack instantly, but to get through the peak until it starts to ease.

Why can a panic attack feel like it lasts much longer?

There are two common reasons.

The attacks come in waves

Several attacks can follow one another, with symptoms easing and then returning. Repeated attacks can recur for hours³, which can feel like one attack that won't end.

Fear of the symptoms keeps them going

In the cognitive model of panic, attacks are driven by reading normal body sensations as a sign of danger, such as taking a racing heart as a heart attack. That interpretation raises anxiety, which produces more sensations, which seem to confirm the danger⁴. The loop can keep an attack going or start another. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) works directly on this pattern, and NICE recommends CBT for panic disorder⁵.

Can a panic attack hurt you?

Panic attacks are distressing, but the attacks themselves are not life-threatening². Because panic symptoms can include chest pain, though, the box below covers when to get checked rather than assume it's panic.

What helps a panic attack pass?

The NHS suggests staying where you are if you can, breathing slowly and deeply, reminding yourself that the attack will pass, and focusing on calming images¹. Reminding yourself that it will pass matters more than it sounds: since the sensations escalate when they're read as dangerous⁴, it works with the loop rather than against it.

A grounding exercise like 5-4-3-2-1 gives your attention somewhere to go, and a slow-exhale pattern such as the physiological sigh helps steady your breathing. If you'd like a tool for this, see what to look for in a panic attack app. If you're with someone else when it happens, here's how to help someone having a panic attack.

When should you see a doctor?

If panic attacks keep happening, or you've started avoiding places in case one happens, see a GP. In England you can also refer yourself directly to a talking therapies service for CBT¹. Panic disorder is treatable.