There’s no foolproof way to completely prevent panic attacks. But there’s a surprising fix trending on TikTok that might help some people manage their symptoms once a panic attack hits: sour candy.
“Popping a sour Warhead at the first sign of anxiety or panic attack, as a doctor, I can tell you this actually works really well and I’ve shared it with a lot of my patients,” said Jason Singh, MD, a physician in Virginia, in a TikTok post that has 1.4 million views.
It works because the taste of something intensely sour diverts attention away from the panic attack, Dr. Singh says. As the taste buds get engaged by this overpowering flavor, this sensory experience disrupts feelings of anxiety, he explains.
Elsewhere on TikTok, true believers are extolling the virtues of this unorthodox remedy. “When I say I’ve never had something rip me out of the throes of a panic attack faster, I f-ing mean it,” one TikToker says in a post with 3.4 million views.
What’s a Panic Attack?
Panic attacks hit without warning and are typically accompanied by overwhelming fear and intense physical responses in ordinary circ*mstances when there isn’t any clear threat, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Unlike anxiety, which might be triggered by a specific concern, there’s often no apparent cause.
RELATED: What’s the Difference Between Panic Attacks and Anxiety Attacks?
While panic attacks are often caused by panic disorder, they can also happen to people with other health issues, such as other anxiety disorders, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, or substance use disorders, per the Cleveland Clinic.
“You can’t prevent a panic attack,” says Philip Muskin, MD, a psychiatry professor at Columbia University and a practicing psychiatrist in New York City. “But there are several different things you can do in the moment and with treatment to manage them when they happen.”
How Sour Candy Might Help
Common approaches to dealing with a panic attack can include a combination of meditation and breathing exercises to calm the body and mind, as well as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to learn new strategies for responding to the surge of symptoms, Dr. Muskin says. For some people, daily antidepressants reduce the frequency and severity of panic attacks, he adds.
While it may sound unconventional, it is indeed possible that sour candy could reduce the intensity or duration of a panic attack, says Catherine Del Toro, the founder and clinical director of Counseling con Catherine.
“When eating something sour or spicy, you are promoting a grounding technique that encourages you to focus on the present moment, which stops the spiral of fear and communicates to your brain that you are not in real danger, thereby allowing the panic attack to slow in intensity and eventually stop altogether,” Del Toro says.
It may also help with anxiety attacks, which, unlike panic attacks, are caused by a specific situation, says John Delony, PhD, author of the books Own Your Past, Change Your Future and Redefining Anxiety.
“Anxiety is an alarm system alerting us to danger in our environment, and especially towards things that ‘might’ happen in the future,” Dr. Delony says. “A piece of sour candy, as well as a sour lemon or something very cold, may be enough to jerk someone from the mindless looping of anxiety, and bring them back to the present … where they are safe, cared for, and okay.”
Sour Candy Still Has Its Limits
There’s no solid scientific evidence that sour candies help at all, however, and it’s also not clear whether these treats cause specific changes in the body or brain that interrupt the processes that lead to a panic attack in the first place, Muskin cautions.
“Maybe the shock of that very sour thing changes their focus for a minute so they stop focusing on the panic attack because they’re focused on the sour thing in their mouth,” Muskin says. “But then they’re still having a panic attack once that initial shock wears off.”
Some people may think sour candy helps because they’re really having an anxiety attack that they mistakenly believe is a panic attack, Muskin says. “If your stress is related to something specific, like maybe you have a meeting with the boss in the morning and you’re worried about getting fired, that’s actually an anxiety attack with a specific cause, not a panic attack that happens for no apparent reason,” Muskin says.
The Bottom Line on Sour Candy for Panic Attacks
At the end of the day, there is nothing you can eat or drink to effectively prevent panic attacks. But there’s no harm in carrying sour candies and trying them as one tool to manage symptoms once a panic or anxiety attack hits, Del Toro says.
Just make sure sour candy isn't your only defense against these overpowering feelings.
“If you are prone to panic attacks, it would be a good idea to implement strategies like deep breathing, exercise, medication, and therapy to manage your overall anxiety,” Del Toro says. “Treating anxiety and panic attacks is not a ‘one size fits all’ deal, and if someone is experiencing this, they should seek professional help for personalized treatment.”
