If you’re having an anxiety or panic attack right now, the best place to go depends on how severe your symptoms are. For most panic attacks, you can get immediate support by calling or texting 988 (the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) or texting HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line), both free and available 24/7. If you’re experiencing crushing chest pressure, pain radiating down your arm or into your jaw, or you genuinely can’t tell whether this is anxiety or a cardiac event, go to the emergency room or call 911.
When to Go to the Emergency Room
Most anxiety attacks don’t require an ER visit, but some situations call for it. Head to the emergency room if your chest pain feels like pressure, squeezing, or something heavy sitting on your chest rather than a sharp, stabbing sensation. Pain that radiates into your arm, jaw, throat, or neck also warrants emergency evaluation. A heart attack produces discomfort that persists for minutes to hours and won’t improve on its own, while a panic attack typically peaks and begins to fade within a shorter window as your body calms down.
The ER is also the right call if you feel severely disoriented, out of touch with reality, or unable to control your actions. If you’re having thoughts of hurting yourself or someone else, that’s a mental health emergency. Don’t try to drive yourself in these situations. Call 911 and let emergency care come to you.
At the ER, doctors will run tests to rule out physical causes for your symptoms. This typically includes checking your blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen levels, along with an electrocardiogram to look for cardiac problems. Blood work may check your electrolytes, blood sugar, and thyroid function, since imbalances in any of these can mimic or trigger panic symptoms. People who hyperventilate during a panic attack often show drops in calcium and phosphate levels, which can intensify tingling and muscle cramps. Once physical causes are ruled out, you’ll typically be evaluated for anxiety or panic disorder.
Free Crisis Support You Can Reach Right Now
If your symptoms are distressing but you’re physically safe, remote crisis support can help you through the worst of it without a hospital visit.
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline isn’t only for suicidal thoughts. You can call, text, or chat at 988 (or visit 988lifeline.org) for any mental health crisis, including anxiety and panic. A trained counselor will listen, talk you through what you’re experiencing, and connect you with local resources if needed. If you text or chat, you’ll answer a few brief screening questions first so the counselor understands your situation before connecting. Interpreter services are available in more than 240 languages.
Crisis Text Line is another option. Text HOME (or HOLA for Spanish) to 741741 from anywhere in the United States, any time of day or night. A trained volunteer crisis counselor will respond and help you move from the peak of distress to a calmer place. It’s free, confidential, and entirely text-based, which can feel easier than talking on the phone when you’re mid-panic.
Community Crisis Centers
Many communities have crisis stabilization units that serve as alternatives to both the ER and psychiatric hospitalization. These are small, residential-style facilities staffed by clinicians and case managers who specialize in mental health crises. They offer a calm, structured environment with common living spaces rather than the fluorescent lights and chaos of an emergency department. Your local 988 counselor can tell you whether one exists in your area and help connect you.
Some regions also have mobile crisis teams that can come to you. These are trained mental health professionals who respond in person, assess your emotional state, and work to de-escalate and resolve the crisis on the spot. Some teams use telehealth as part of their response. Again, calling 988 is the fastest way to find out what’s available where you live.
Urgent Care and Walk-In Clinics
Standard urgent care centers can check your vitals and rule out some physical causes, but most aren’t equipped for mental health crisis intervention. They’re a reasonable middle ground if you want someone to confirm your heart is fine and your oxygen levels are normal, but they won’t offer the kind of counseling or psychiatric evaluation you’d get through a crisis line or ER. If your primary concern is “is this anxiety or something physically wrong,” urgent care can answer that question at a lower cost than an emergency room.
Cost Differences Worth Knowing
An ER visit for a mental health evaluation averaged around $500 for uninsured patients in 2017, and costs have risen since. Urgent care is typically less expensive, while crisis lines and text services are completely free. If cost is a barrier and you’re confident your symptoms are anxiety rather than a cardiac event, starting with 988 or Crisis Text Line costs nothing and gets you real-time professional support.
What to Do After the Attack Passes
Once the immediate crisis is over, follow-up care matters, especially if this was your first panic attack or if attacks are becoming more frequent. Schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor to discuss what happened. They can order any additional testing, evaluate whether an underlying condition is contributing, and refer you to a therapist or psychiatrist if needed.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most effective treatments for panic disorder, and many people see significant improvement within a few months. If your panic attacks are getting worse, changing in character, or not improving with your current approach, that’s a signal to revisit your care plan. The goal isn’t just surviving each attack but reducing how often they happen and how intensely they hit.