When Panic hits,
know What to Do next
DARE is a practical, evidence-based approach to overcoming panic and anxiety - created by bestselling author Barry McDonagh
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Some people believe in DARE so much, they tattoo it on their bodies
These are real tattoos shared by people in the DARE community.
For some, DARE became more than something they read or listened to. It became a reminder of what they learned about fear:
You don't have to run from it!
Panic can feel terrifying - even when you know it's Anxiety
It can show up out of nowhere.
Your heart starts pounding
Your breathing feels wrong
You feel dizzy or unreal
Your mind tells you:
"Something is seriously wrong"
So you try to make it stop.
You control your breathing
Check your pulse
Distract yourself
Escape the situation
Look for reassurance
And sometimes that works for a little while. But then the fear comes back.
DARE teaches you a different way to respond.
Stop fighting Panic
The DARE approach is based on a counterintuitive idea:
The struggle to make anxiety disappear can become part of what keeps you afraid of it.
DARE teaches you to respond differently.
Not by pretending you're calm.
Not by convincing yourself that you shouldn't be anxious.
Not by spending your life trying to avoid another panic attack.
Instead, you practice allowing the sensations to be there without automatically treating them as a threat.
The goal isn't to become better at escaping anxiety.
It's to become less afraid of experiencing it.
The DARE Response
DARE gives you four simple steps to practice when anxiety shows up.
Defuse
Step back from frightening “What if?” thoughts instead of automatically treating them as facts.
Allow
Stop fighting the anxious sensations and give them permission to be there.
Run Towards
Instead of mentally retreating from the sensations, practice meeting them with willingness.
Engage
Return your attention to what you were doing and reconnect with your life.
Help for the moment you actually need It
Panic doesn't conveniently appear when you're sitting at home reading about anxiety. It can happen...
At 3 am
Driving on the motorway.
Sitting on an airplane.
Standing in a supermarket queue.
Walking into a meeting.
Or seemingly out of nowhere.
The DARE App puts guided support in your pocket for those moments.
Put on your headphones. Press play.
And let DARE guide you through how to respond.
Whatever form your anxiety takes
When your heart starts racing
Learn how to respond to frightening physical sensations without immediately feeding the fear cycle.
When you're afraid another panic attack is coming
Learn how the fear of fear can keep the panic cycle going — and how to respond differently.
When your breathing feels wrong
Practise stepping out of the struggle with your breathing and changing how you respond to the sensation.
When you desperately want to escape
Practice staying with uncomfortable sensations rather than automatically retreating from situations you want to be able to enjoy.
When you feel dizzy, strange or unreal
Get guided support for uncomfortable sensations without repeatedly checking whether they're gone.
When your mind won't stop
Learn how to respond differently to frightening, repetitive or intrusive thoughts.
From the bestselling Book to an App you can carry everywhere
Barry McDonagh developed the DARE approach following his own experience with anxiety and panic. His bests elling book DARE: The New Way to End Anxiety and Stop Panic Attacks has sold more than 400,000 copies worldwide.
But there's a difference between understanding DARE and remembering how to apply it when anxiety suddenly appears.
The book teaches you the method.
The app helps you practice it in real life.
So when anxiety shows up, you don't have to search through a book trying to remember what you're supposed to do.
You can simply open DARE.
What people say about DARE
Sarah
United Kingdom
Life changing
"DARE changed my life. After years of panic attacks that ruled everything I did, I finally feel like I have my life back."
Michael
Australia
The book that cured my anxiety
The practical advice in DARE helped me stop fighting my anxiety and start living again. I wish I had found this years ago.
Emma
Ireland
The app is brilliant!
The app is brilliant. Having the guidance right there when panic hits is a game changer.
Sarah
United Kingdom
Life changing
"DARE changed my life. After years of panic attacks that ruled everything I did, I finally feel like I have my life back."
Get immediate access to guided DARE support for panic, anxious thoughts, physical sensations, sleep, avoidance and more.
