‘Crisis candies’: Woman’s therapist told her to use Warheads to stop panic attacks

A woman has shared her therapist’s weird hack for stopping a panic attack before it can begin— using sour Warheads candy.

TikTok user TalkingTaylor (@taylor.talking) shared this advice in a video from last week. Filming herself chewing on a piece of Warheads candy, she says, “My therapist told me to eat a Warhead whenever I’m feeling a panic attack coming on.” She grimaces from the intense sour flavor and continues, “And when I say I’ve never had anything rip me out of the throes of a f***ing panic attack faster, I f***ing mean it.”

By Monday, Taylor’s video had over 1.3 million views.

Many commenters were surprised by Taylor’s therapist’s methods, but curious to try it out for themselves.

“Getting a Cosco sized barrel of warheads tomorrow,” one user wrote.

“I am so trying this. My doctor is weaning me off my anxiety meds and it’s a bumpy ride.” another shared.

Some therapists and social workers also weighed in, sharing similar hacks for managing panic attacks.

“I recommend Altoids for my clients who don’t want to use warheads,” one wrote.

“When I worked at the children’s home, we called them crisis candies lmao,” another shared.

Mental health professionals agree that the Warhead method works, by redirecting attention away from the panic attack, toward a healthier, but distracting, stimulus. In an article by Nebraska Medicine, psychiatric social worker Chantel Bruha shares the same advice, of using Warheads as a distraction from the panic attack.