How do you cope with anxiety attacks before big presentations at work?

I used to get the exact same, breathless the night before, shaking hands. A few things genuinely helped me. First, preparation kills a lot of anxiety, know your first two minutes cold so you start strong, momentum carries you. Second, practice in front of a friend or even the mirror so it's not the first time out loud. Third, box breathing right before helps steady the body. Fourth, I stopped aiming for 'perfect' and aimed for 'clear and useful', lowering the pressure. Fifth, small wins, volunteer for lower-stakes presentations to desensitise. If it's this intense regularly, though, please see a professional, a counsellor or GP; I did and CBT plus sometimes short-term support made a real difference. There's no shame in getting help; it's like physio for your mind.

From my experience, presentation anxiety is super common and very manageable with practice. What worked for me: over-prepare and rehearse out loud many times, even record myself, so the content becomes automatic and my brain has less to panic about. On the day, slow breathing helps, breathe in for 4, hold 4, out for 6, it physically calms the racing heart. Arrive early, sip water, and remind yourself management wants you to succeed, they're not enemies. I also reframed the shaking as excitement/energy rather than fear, sounds silly but it helps. Start with smaller audiences to build confidence. If the anxiety is severe, night-before panic and breathlessness, please consider talking to a counsellor or doctor; therapy (CBT) works really well for this. You're not weak, this is treatable.