Hallucinations, a form of psychosis, are rarely associated with panic attacks, according to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. While they're usually attributed to other disorders like schizophrenia, having a panic attack can sometimes make you feel like you're hallucinating, psychologist Dr. Michael Brustein told Self. Hallucinations are sensations, sights, and sounds that aren't actually there. Because we're in such an aroused, vigilant state during a panic attack and often feel disassociated from our bodies, we might see normal things as not so normal, leading us to think we're hallucinating when we're really not. For example, you might detect movement out of the corner of your eye and interpret it as a visual hallucination. In reality, hallucinating is usually only associated with severe panic disorders (via Journal of Clinical Psychiatry).
Although it's common for your mind to play tricks on you during a panic attack, telling yourself that you're going to be okay can help to calm your body down and prevent symptoms from getting worse (via Healthline). One strategy for treating a panic attack in the moment is to count backwards while taking deep, slow breaths. Outside of an attack, you can try to prevent it from happening again by meditating, journaling, going to therapy, and doing breathing exercises daily.
