When you’re having a panic attack, it might feel like you’re drowning. You feel like you can’t breathe and your chest is constricted. You might feel detached from your body, from your surroundings, as though you’re floating in a dream. You might become overheated with clammy hands, a flushed face and sweat trickling down your spine. You also might be shaking.

Experiencing a panic attack at home or in public is bad enough. Experiencing one at work can be extra stressful. You might feel incredibly alone. You might feel a profound sense of shame. You might berate yourself for being the only person who clearly can’t control himself or herself.

And that’s a powerful part of the stress: In addition to a job’s demands, we have the added pressure of having to hold it together, Clark said. It’s not just that we’re asked to do more things or make uncomfortable phone calls or respond to a nasty email. It’s also that we’re supposed to be professional, which means we’re not supposed to show our feelings. Or at the very least, we’re not supposed to feel anxious.

The good news is that you can learn to manage panic attacks. Here are tips to help.

Find privacy

“It’s awfully difficult once you start to feel panic to pull yourself out of it when you’re in public. You might be around people you don’t feel comfortable with. You might feel judged. People who struggle with recurrent panic tend to struggle with other anxieties, such as asocial anxiety. At its core, social anxiety is a fear of other’s judgment. This is why it’s helpful to excuse yourself to whatever place you can that allows you some space, such as a bathroom.

Don’t ignore it

Some sufferers try to stop a panic attack by ignoring it and trying to perform their responsibilities. But “ignoring your symptoms will only make them worse” and compromise your work performance. It’s more helpful to acknowledge what’s happening.

Don’t fight it

It’s hard not to fight the symptoms of a panic attack. Because they’re so uncomfortable, your natural reaction might be to make it stop. Just make it stop. But this only fuels your symptoms. Instead, to embrace the physical sensations. “Let it wash over you, and know you can handle it even if it’s horribly uncomfortable.” Your panic attack will pass. It’s important to note that many people, particularly when they experience their first panic attack, have no idea what’s going on—and start thinking the worst. They assume they’re dying. But you are safe. Nobody has ever died from a panic attack.

Observe your sensations

Similarly, observe your symptoms without trying to control or change them. For instance, notice that your palms are flushed and filled with blood. Notice that you’re alive and breathing. Notice as your body is calming down, which is different from telling your body to calm down. In other words, step back and try to notice what’s happening.

Refocus on your environment

What also drives anxiety is thinking about the future or thinking too many things at once. Essentially one anxious thought leads to another anxious thought and so on. This is why staying in the present, or grounding yourself in the moment, is important.

One way to do this is to focus on your surroundings. What’s in the room with you? What color and shape is the desk? What are the knobs made of? What color is the tile? What is immediately in front of you?

Take productive action

Anxiety—and panic at the ultimate extremes—is…a signal that something you care about is at risk. And the most powerful antidote to anxiety is taking control and taking action.

Try to pinpoint what triggered your anxiety. For instance, maybe you have no idea how you’ll make a project deadline. Instead of being angry about the deadline and wishing it away, think about what you can control. You can control how you spend your time and how you create the project. You can control asking your boss for an extension. Instead of expending energy on resisting and avoiding anxiety, channel that energy into what you can control.

Reach out

It might be helpful to call a loved one who’s supportive. You might ask a colleague to cover your desk or tell your boss you’re taking a brief break.

Panic attacks are “horribly uncomfortable, but they don’t have to be debilitating. Just like you’ve learned to have them, you can unlearn. It takes practice (like anything). And you might find it more helpful to work with a therapist who specializes in treating panic. Remember you are not alone—not at all—and you can get through this.