From SanoLabs, the makers of the Sam app
Stay calm when fear overwhelms your parent
If your parent has panic attacks, calm, understanding and a prepared doctor visit help most. Chest pain or breathlessness is always for a doctor to assess, never for you, even when attacks are known.
What helps when an attack is happening?
You do not have to judge anything. You are simply there.
- Stay and speak calmlyA quiet, even voice gives support. Keep the advice for later.
- Breathe slowly togetherCount along as you breathe out. That is all it takes.
- Say that it will passIf the attacks are already known to the doctor: most last 5 to 20 minutes, then fade.
- Call for anything new or severeChest pain, pressure or breathlessness is not yours to judge. Call your local emergency number (112 in the EU, 999 in the UK, 911 in the US).
What you can say
Better avoid lines like 'Pull yourself together'.
You could say That is awful for you. I am staying with you.
You take the fear seriously without judging anything.
You could say Let us breathe together until it eases.
A small shared task.
You could say Would you like to talk to your doctor about what could help? I am happy to come along.
An offer instead of a verdict.
You could say If your therapist suggests small steps, I will support you with them.
You pull in the same direction as the therapy.
How do you prepare the doctor visit?
- Write attacks downWhen, how long, in which situation.
- List medicationEverything your parent takes, on one list.
- Have physical causes checkedThe doctor first checks heart and lungs, for example with an ECG.
- Ask about therapyCognitive behavioural therapy is a recommended approach.
Sam for your parent
A record instead of memory gaps at the visit
Your parent notes attacks in Sam if they want to. The entries become a report the doctor can read at the visit.
- Log an attack quicklyYour parent notes the time, peak fear from 0 to 10, body sensations and the situation. Everything else is optional.
- Monthly short questionnaireOnce a month your parent answers a few questions about everyday anxiety. The answers sit next to the attacks over time.
- Report for the doctorThe PDF shows the number of attacks, how many came out of the blue, the highest fear and what your parent did.
- Share what they chooseWith Care Circle your parent shares the history of this program. You see it read-only, and you both need Sam.
A calmer way to the doctor visit
Instead oftelling the doctor about the last attacks from memory
In SamAttacks noted with date, fear and situation, as your parent enters them.
Instead ofscraps of paper that are missing at the visit
In SamA PDF your parent can take to the visit.
Instead ofphoning to ask whether there was another attack
In SamYour parent decides whether and what to share with you.
Your parent starts the program (its own diary and doctor report) by confirming that a doctor has diagnosed panic disorder; Sam records and summarises what they enter, and only a doctor can make sense of it.
Questions adult children ask
EmergencyWhen should I get help right away?+
This is general safety information, not a diagnosis, and it does not tell you whether a condition is present.
- New or severe chest pain or tightness
- Pain spreading to the arm, jaw or back
- Severe or lasting breathlessness
- Cold sweat, nausea or fainting
- Thoughts of suicide or self-harm: call a crisis line in your country, or the emergency number if their life is at risk
- It feels different from usual
In these cases call your local emergency number (112 in the EU, 999 in the UK, 911 in the US), even if your parent already knows panic attacks. For less urgent concerns, call your doctor or local out-of-hours service. Do not use this list to decide on your own whether something is wrong.
Are panic attacks dangerous?+
A panic attack itself is considered not dangerous. Chest pain and breathlessness can have other causes though, so a doctor has to assess them.
Should I tell my parent these are panic attacks?+
No. A doctor or psychotherapist makes that call. You can describe what you see and offer to come to the appointment.
Should I take situations off my parent's hands?+
Over time that tends to keep the fear going, as the NHS describes it. It is better to support the steps the therapist suggests.
What if the fear does not ease?+
Talk to the family doctor about therapy options. If things feel too heavy, a crisis line in your country can help right away.
Can I see what my parent enters in Sam?+
Only if your parent adds you in Care Circle and shares areas with you. You see them read-only, you both need Sam, there are no alerts about their data, and your parent can end the sharing at any time.
Prepare the visit together
Sam keeps attacks on record so you have something concrete to show the doctor.
Sam is a wellness companion, not a medical device. Sam does not diagnose or treat anything and does not replace a doctor. Sam cannot tell a panic attack from a heart problem. For acute symptoms call your local emergency number (112 in the EU, 999 in the UK, 911 in the US).