Panic attack log for therapy: a template

A panic attack log keeps a few points per attack: when it happened, whether it came out of the blue, how strong the fear was, which body feelings you noticed, what you did and what was going on. With those notes you walk into therapy prepared, instead of telling it from memory. You can keep them on paper or, after a doctor's diagnosis, in the panic attack diary in Sam, whose doctor report you take to the session as a PDF. Whether something was a panic attack stays your judgement and your therapist's.

What belongs in a panic attack log?

Six points are enough:

• When: the date and time.
• Whether the attack came out of the blue or in a situation you were afraid of.
• How strong the fear felt at its peak, from 0 to 10.
• Which body feelings you noticed, such as a racing heart, sweating, shaking, breathlessness, dizziness or a sense that things are unreal.
• What you did: rode it out, left early or something else.
• What was going on: where you were, who was there, what happened just before.

Here is an invented example: "Thu, 5.11., 6.40 pm, at the supermarket. In a situation I feared: a long queue. Fear 8 of 10. Racing heart, sweating, dizziness. I left the trolley and walked out."

Add what you did in the attack to feel safer, such as checking your pulse, sitting down, texting someone or leaving. Many people call this safety behaviour. How your therapist reads it is their job. For you it counts that you write it down honestly.

The MSD Manuals describe cognitive behavioural therapy for panic disorder as helping you notice unhelpful thoughts, reduce avoidance and use techniques such as controlled breathing. Your log hands the session everyday examples. Whether your clinic has its own form is worth asking about in the first session.

How do you get a first conversation?

In England you can refer yourself to NHS talking therapies for anxiety without seeing a GP, or ask a GP to refer you. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland run their own services, so check locally. In the US, a primary care doctor or a direct therapist search can get you started. How referrals and costs work differs between countries and within them, so ask locally.

Bring what you have already written, even if it is only a few entries. A log with five entries is better than none. Two weeks or two months: the sources give no rule, and your clinic tells you what it wants to see.

What if you have written nothing yet?

Then start with the next attack. Fresh notes are more accurate than ones from memory. An attack from last week can still be added: note that you recorded it later. That is enough for your therapist to know how to read it. Even three to five entries give the conversation something to hold on to.

Panic attack or something else?

You do not decide this alone, and a log does not replace an examination. The MSD Manuals say panic attacks can cause chest pain and breathlessness and make people fear a heart attack. Severe or persistent symptoms should be checked by a doctor.

New or severe chest pain, especially with pressure, tightness, breathlessness or cold sweat, is a reason to call your local emergency number (112 in the EU, 999 in the UK, 911 in the US). You do not have to know whether it is a panic attack first. In this moment neither a diary nor Sam is the point.

If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency department. In the UK you can also call Samaritans free on 116 123, day or night, and in the US the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.

How panic disorder and generalised anxiety differ is in panic disorder versus generalised anxiety. For daily life, living with panic disorder covers triggers and everyday strategies.

How do you bring the log into the session?

Do not read it out. Time in the session is short, and you do not have to tell everything. Pick three attacks: the strongest, the most recent and one that surprised you. Add two questions for the clinic. One example: "How do you read that four of five attacks came in a situation I feared?" and "What does it mean that I often check my pulse during an attack?"

In the panic disorder program in Sam, the doctor report summarises the period for you: how many attacks you logged, how many came out of the blue, the highest fear from 0 to 10, what you did in the attacks and which safety behaviour you entered. That is a count of your entries, not an evaluation. Sam does not ask for a duration. If it matters, write it in the description of the situation.

A general list for appointments is in doctor visit checklist for a chronic condition. Documenting attacks for a doctor, not a therapist, is covered in panic attack patterns and heart rate data. For the days between attacks you can also keep a symptom diary in Sam.

When should you not wait?

The MSD Manuals say panic attacks are uncomfortable, at times extremely so, but not dangerous, and NIMH says they are not life-threatening and the symptoms usually resolve with time. That does not make repeated attacks easy to live with, which is a good reason to talk to a health professional.

Sudden, severe chest pain or ongoing breathlessness is not a topic for a diary. Use your local emergency number (112 in the EU, 999 in the UK, 911 in the US). In England you can call NHS 111 and select the mental health option for urgent help. Other UK nations have their own arrangements, so check locally. Sam does not decide what is urgent. That belongs with professionals, and in doubt you call or ask.

Log panic attacks in Sam and take them to your session

You walk into the session with an overview, instead of describing the attacks from memory.

• Instead of paper: each attack is an entry with the time, fear from 0 to 10, body feelings, what you did and the situation.
• Instead of "I think it happens more often": the report counts your entries and shows how many came out of the blue.
• Instead of several loose notes: the report for 1, 3, 6 or 12 months or the whole record is ready as a PDF.

Sam records what you report. An empty log does not mean there was no attack, and the report does not replace a conversation. More in the panic disorder program.

Try Sam for free

Sam is a wellness companion, not a medical device. The app does not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition or health state. Always consult qualified professionals for medical decisions.

Related reading

• Panic attack patterns and heart rate data for your doctor
• Living with panic disorder: sleep, triggers and daily life
• Finding a therapist for panic disorder: waiting times
• Panic disorder or generalised anxiety? The difference

Sources

Updated: October 2026

• MSD Manuals (consumer version): Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder (full review April 2026)
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): Panic Disorder: What You Need to Know (revised 2025)
• Mind: Panic attacks (published March 2026)
• Samaritans: Contact a Samaritan (24/7 free line 116 123)
• Anxiety UK: Panic Disorder (types of anxiety, GP for diagnosis)
• NHS: 111 (call 111 and select the mental health option for urgent help in England)