AIIMS-trained neurologist explains how using a ‘simple paper bag’ can calm anxiety and help manage panic attacks

By breathing into a paper bag, a person suffering from panic attack can keep their carbon dioxide concentration and pH of the blood stable, states Dr Sehrawat.

A panic attack is when an individual experiences an episode of intense fear without any real danger or apparent cause being present. According to Mayo Clinic, it can trigger severe physical reactions and cause a person to think that they are losing control, experiencing a heart attack, or even dying.

Panic attack leads to fast breathing where the body loses excess carbon dioxide, shares Dr Sehrawat. (Unsplash)

If a person experiences frequent panic attacks, a simple paper bag can be an invaluable tool to keep at hand, according to Dr Priyanka Sehrawat, general physician and neurologist, MD Medicine, DM Neurology from AIIMS Delhi. Taking to Instagram on February 1, Dr Sehrawat explained how it works.

What happens during a panic attack?

This leads to the pH balance of the body being altered, explained Dr Sehrawat. The shift becomes apparent from symptoms such as nervousness, palpitations, constricted feeling in the chest or other parts of the body, heaviness in the chest, pain in with side of the chest or in the shoulder muscles in the back.

How the paper bag helps

In case an individual who is a known anxiety patient experiences these symptoms, the paper bag can be helpful to them. Specifications of the bag do not matter much other than it being a paper bag.

What the person needs to do is use the paper bag to cover their nose and mouth and hold it sealed shut over the openings. Then, they need to slowly breathe in and out for six to ten times.

The paper bag helps retain the carbon dioxide that is being washed out by the body. If the carbon dioxide is retained and its concentration is normalised in the blood, the blood pH gets normalised, and the symptoms are neutralised within a few minutes.

However, Dr Sehrawat also shared that it is better to consult with a psychiatrist or a psychologist if an individual experiences very frequent panic attacks. This will allow them to find out what medicine-related and non-medicine-related lifestyle changes are required to manage the issue.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

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