What It’s Like to Have ‘The Perfect Panic Attack’

(Content Warning: Self-harm)

Have you ever had a panic attack?

A panic attack is a sudden surge of anxiety, and it’s a terrifying experience. It might make you feel like you’re dying, going “crazy,” or like you’re the only one who ever feels this way.

In this performance from the Button Poetry showcase at the 2015 National Poetry Slam, Patrick Roche perfectly captures what it’s like to have a panic attack. His moving articulation can help more people understand what you’re going through – and remind you that you’re not alone.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about six million American adults deal with panic attacks. Learning more about panic and anxiety could help you understand what’s going on and find options to help you get through and prevent them.

Patrick’s powerful performance can help you remember that you’re not dying – in fact, as Patrick says, “every piece of you…is screaming for you to survive.”

With Love,
The Editors at Everyday Feminism



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Patrick Roche is a spoken word poet from New Jersey and started performing as part of Princeton University’s slam team, Ellipses. Member of the Princeton Team at CUPSI in 2014, the national collegiate poetry slam, and placed third in the nation out of over 50 teams competing. Patrick’s work has been featured on Button Poetry, Upworthy, the Huffington Post, MSN, and Buzzfeed. You can find Patrick on Facebook and on Twitter @PatrickPoetry.

Video courtesy of Button Poetry. For more amazing spoken word performances, check them out on YouTube and Facebook.