Sweet Relief: The Surprising Science Behind Sour Candy and Panic Attacks
Unraveling the viral TikTok trend.
When it comes to mental health advice, tips, and tricks, social media is rife with misinformation. And study after study has shown that TikTok is the biggest offender among the most used apps.
So, when I first heard about the viral TikTok claiming that Warheads can halt panic attacks, I just figured the suits over at BIG CANDY were working overtime to hock sweets before the holidays.
It wasn’t until one of my social work students asked me about it that I thought about it. From a neurobiological perspective, is there a benefit to eating sour candy when in a highly activated state?
Quite possibly, yes.
Before we dive in, I want to acknowledge that I am writing this piece at the end of December amid holiday stress (not to mention ongoing conflict and war, widespread violence, and suffering). Let’s offer ourselves a moment to get into balance before we dive into more heady material. If you’re wearing glasses, take them off (well, quickly skim the rest of these instructions, then take them off!). Rub your hands together, creating heat. Once you feel some warmth, gently cup your hands over your eyes. Allow your eyes to close if they’d like to. Continue to breathe your…
