Some Ways to Help Lessen or Stop Panic Attacks
In general, there are some things you can do to help ease, or possibly stop, your panic attacks.
Panic attacks usually come on suddenly, often without warning, and the trigger may or may not be known. Sometimes a panic attack concerns anxiety around something that may happen in the future, usually the somewhat near future, or is around a situation you are in at the moment that is making you feel anxious and you are working to avoid something in that situation. For some people, a panic attack feels to them like they are having a heart attack and some people even fear they are dying.

It is important for you to see your doctor if you are experiencing panic attacks, to rule out any physical cause. If the cause is not physical, your doctor may treat you with a drug or combination of drugs used to treat panic attacks. There drugs include Paxil, Zoloft, Xanax, and Klonopin. These drugs are available by prescription only.

Seeing a shrink can really help!
Psychotherapy is another way to help treat panic attacks. Your therapist may be able to help you figure out what is going on in your mind that is triggering your panic attacks and then work with you to overcome them. Your therapist may also use other methods of treatment such as exposure therapy, where you are exposed to the trigger (or imagine you are being exposed to the trigger) while in the safety of his/her presence, and then you and your therapist work through your symptoms. Also, your therapist may work on relaxation and slow breathing techniques with you.

There are self-help books, CDs, and DVDs available at the library, stores, and on-line. Many of them will give you information on how to change your thought patterns and take control of your thinking. It may also be helpful for you to avoid caffeine and to not smoke, as these are stimulants.