Do slow deep breathing exercises-inhaling deeply then being conscious of the exhalation part by counting '3-2-1' slowly as you exhale thru pursed lip.
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Looking in the mirror seems to help somehow. I don't have a scientific theory to back this, but just realizing the state I'm in works for me.
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Talk therapy can be extremely helpful and sometimes in conjunction with medication. But if you're looking for something you can try at home, look into diaphragmatic breathing. People who are anxious tend to take shallow breaths which only worsens anxiety. Breathing diaphragmatically can help you breathe deeper thus alleviating some anxiety. The following link has a how to guide with a diagram. http://www.anxietypanic.com/breathing.html
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Atavan
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My fiance has these and when she's having one she either comes to me or her mother and we help her control her breathing and just comfort her and tell her that everything is going to be allright.
Source(s):
Spending two years with somebody who also suffers from this

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I have actually used deep breathing, meditation and yoga to combat anxiety in the past. Many of the yogic poses that help alleviate stress and anxiety are very simple, like the Cobra pose, which opens the airway and upside down poses, which raise blood pressure, causing the body to react to calm you down. Meditation is great because it requires you to focus your energy on your thoughts and your breathing.
Source(s):
http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/yoga-and-health/yoga-for-anxiety.asp
http://www.yogajournal.com/for_teachers/2390?page=2
http://www.yogajournal.com/health/2085

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This is a great way to daily maintain an even mood and manage your anxiety. Valerian is a hardy perennial flowering plant with sweet-smelling pink or white flowers.Valerian has often been used in complementary and alternative medicine for its sedative properties. It has been recommended for epilepsy but that has not been supported by modern research. Currently, the herb is mainly used as a remedy for insomnia.

Valerian may be indicated for the relief of insomnia, stress-related anxiety, and nervous restlessness. It may also be used to ease stomach and menstrual cramps, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), some of the restlessness that accompanies attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and migraine symptoms.
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XANAX! Trust me used to get them, now I don't.
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Ativan is a benzodiazepine drug that has sedative and muscle relaxing effects. It has a short duration, about half that of Xanax.

As far as non-pharmacological methods, bio-feedback has proven useful for people suffering from anxiety. In a controlled enviornment, they hook you up to monitoring systems and expose you to anxiety-provoking stimuli. It allows you to observe your heartreat, persperation, etc. and learn to slow those reactions down. I've never done it myself, so personally I would recommend a prescription.
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During a severe attack, the best thing to do is take a small dose of Xanax or Ativan to stop the side effects of hyperventilation, dizziness, chest pains, etc. Other methods for fighting panic disorder (throwing a ball back and forth, yoga and deep breathing, biofeedback) should continue to be used on a regular basis and during small to mid-size attacks when possible. But when the chemicals are over firing in the brain and the body is physically suffering, medication is sometimes the best way to go.
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if the panic attacks are constant you should really see a physician and consider therapy to figure out what is behind the panic attack. i used to have very small ones after a major car accident sometimes when i was driving. i would pull over and wait it out on the side of the road. what ended up working for me was talk therapy with my psychologist. they say that is the most effective way to treat panic attacks or post-traumatic stress.

here are some solutions (from wikipedia) that could be helpful
All persons experiencing persistent and frequent panic attacks should consult their physicians. However, many experienced sufferers treat panic attacks with some the following methods and techniques:

Diaphragmatic Breathing or Abdominal Breathing — Breathing slowly through the nose using the diaphragm and abdomen. Do not breathe through the mouth. Focus on exhaling very slowly. This will correct or prevent an imbalance of oxygen to carbon dioxide in the blood stream.[2]

Taking anti-anxiety medication — to be used under the guidance and direction of a physician.

Staying in the Present — rather than having "what if" thoughts that are future oriented asking yourself, "what is happening now" and "how do I wish to respond to it". (Carbonell 2004)

Acceptance and Acknowledgement- accepting and acknowledging the panic attack. (Carbonell 2004)

Floating with the symptoms — allowing time to pass and floating with the symptoms rather than trying to make them better or fighting them. (Carbonell 2004)

Coping Statements — repeated as part of an internal monologue
"No one has ever died from an anxiety attack."
"I will let my body do its thing. This will pass."
"I can be anxious and still deal with this situation."
"This does not feel great, but I can deal with it".[2]
"I am frightened of being frightened, therefore if I stop worrying about being frightened, then I have nothing to be scared of."
Source(s):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panic_attacks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk_therapy

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In my experience, panic attacks are essentially a subconcious reversion from the outer, physical world to the inner, emotional or mental world. The feeling of anxiety is the product of being trapped inside your own head and dominated by elusive thoughts or feelings that take control of the body, resulting in breathing trouble, chest pain or just a strange feeling in the stomach. The best remedy - and this has worked every time for me - is to be very still and quiet and concentrate on something physical. A chair, a table, a cup... anything that is real, tangible and ordinary. Look at the way it is built. Look at its shape. Feel it. Spend a little time thinking about nothing other than this item. This should help to bring you out of your own head and back into the real world. It helps you to regain stability by remembering the simplicity and substance of everyday reality. It also distracts you from panicking about what your body is doing - such as a thumping heart or chest pains.

Above all, the most important thing to remember is that a panic attack is not a demon trying to attack you but the mis-firing of neurons in your brain. Most commonly, people suffering panic attacks are plagued by the fear that they are about to die. You may find yourself, conciously or unconciously, repeating the phrase: "I am going to die." Accompanied by chest pains or breathing problems, it can feel very real. But it's not real. It's all in your head. Get someone to talk to you about the weather or ask you mundane questions: What is your favorite sport? Who was your third grade teacher? How do you cook an egg?

And if you still feel anxiety, the number one failsafe is to put on a total feel-good movie and let the wholesomeness overwhelm you. The Sound of Music, for example, is like a big mental hug when you're suffering a panic attack.

I would also add that I do not believe drugs are a necessary or beneficial answer to panic attacks. Anxiety runs in my family - from my mother to my sister to numerous aunts and uncles, in varying levels of intensity. Drugs have only ever made the problem worse. All drugs do is mask it, and this can result in the building up of pressure and an eventual breakdown. In many cases, anxiety sufferers who did not face their problems but relied on drugs instead became suicidal. You have to face whatever it is that is scaring you - whether it is a specific problem, or that looming cloud we all deal with in different ways - our own mortality. But learning how to control your subconcious is much more empowering than popping a pill. The more you try - the better you'll get, and once you've master the inner demons, you can pretty much take on the world.
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Do not self-medicate or get advise to do so from the internet.

Consult your doctor. They can help you, or can refer you to a more specialized doctor who can.
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This is probably not the place to get that answer.

Talk to a Doctor!
Source(s):
Common sense

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Frankly, Xanax or a related benzo prescription. You can try a thousand million bits of advice, but in the end you will come right back to this conclusion. The good thing about it is that having medication break the "loop" of having panic attacks- where you have one because you are afraid of having one- helps tremendously toward stopping the problem altogether so medication can be discontinued.
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I actually suffer from mild forms of it. what I found that works is that you have to get over the fears causing the attacks to occur.

Nothing else worked for me however I do not know if these methods also work for those who have the attacks in such a strong way to at times seek medical treatment.
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Try pot. See http://www.benefitsofmarijuana.com/benefits.php

I've also found the books of psychologist Albert Ellis and general semanticist Alfred Korzybski helpful. I read them after starting therapy with a psychologist who had attended Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy training led by Ellis. I found him very helpful and ended up going for about 8 or 10 sessions.
Source(s):
http://www.benefitsofmarijuana.com/benefits.php

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Try a comprehensive approach like Albert Ellis' Rational-Emotive-Behavioral Therapy mixed with Yogic breathing and Byron Katie's inquiry. In this way, you can alleviate the problem from multiple angles, the philosophical, emotional, behavioral, and physical.

Physical: Slow, quiet, rhythmic breathing will provide immediate physical relief during a panic attack. Your breathing signals the body to either fight/flight or regenerative rest.
* Breathe in slowly into your abdomen
* Hold your breath for about 3 seconds
* Breathe out slowly
* Hold your breath for about 3 seconds, and repeat

Rational: When you have calmed down a bit, you can address the belief that creates the anxiety. Look for a statement you are believing with the word "should", "must", or "awful" in it, e.g. "I should be perfect." Ask yourself if this statement is absolutely true and how you can know absolute truth anyway. (Don't try to change your belief yet.)

Emotional: How do you feel when you believe that "should" thought? If you can, write it down. Next, imagine and write down: how would you feel if you could not even think that thought? How would you treat yourself and other people?

Rational 2: Make 2 or 3 statements opposite to the original disturbing thought and support them with 2 or 3 true examples from your life, e.g. "I should be imperfect."

Behavioral: Think of ways to practice living these opposite statements and do them. A little will-power might be necessary to get the ball rolling.

At first this may feel a bit forced. Do this process several times a day for a few weeks until it becomes an automatic habit. You will be surprised how insightful and effective your mind is at calming you when you give it a chance to investigate itself.
Source(s):
http://www.rebt.ws/REBT%20explained.htm
http://www.thework.com/thework.asp
http://www.healthyplace.com/Communities/Anxiety/treatment/diaphragmatic_bre...
http://circuitbreak.blogspot.com/2008/08/breath-pacer.html

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Meds will take care of the symptoms... Therapy will take care of the cause.

A therapist who specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) would be a good idea. Studies have show CBT to be VERY effective for anxiety disorders.

As a hypnotherapist (as well as a psychotherapist), a combination of CBT and hypnosis can be highly effective. Again... hypnosis/relaxation techniques to take care of the symptoms and CBT to understand and stop the irrational thoughts that are creating the panic attack.

By the way... I've learned that panic attacks are a cycle: Irrational thoughts create a physical symptom, then you become hyper-aware of/focused on the physical symptoms that create more irrational thoughts... and the cycle continues. When I'm working with people who have panic attacks, I work to break the cycle... anywhere.
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I'm sure you have heard of tryptophan. It's that amino acid that is in turkey that is part of the reason you might feel sleepy after a big Thanksgiving meal. Tryptophan breaks down into niacin (which helps to reduce anxiety). Serotonin is another product of tryptophan intake. Serotonin give you a feeling of calm. Carbohydrates will help your body get the tryptophan into your system. So the combination of cheese and crackers has a better effect than just cheese. Five servings of beans, a few portions of cheese or peanut butter, or just one big handful of cashews provides one to two thousand milligrams of tryptophan. So keep a little ziploc baggie full cashews on hand and eat them when you feel a panic attack coming on. It should help. Try to find cashews that are raw, or at least NOT roasted (as close to raw as you can find). Go to the following web site to see a list of more foods that have tryptophan...
Source(s):
http://www.doctoryourself.com/prozac.html

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The best method to control anxiety is by taking preventive measures.

Breathing techniques, progressive relaxation, reducing stimuli, removing yourself from the situation, etc., are all helpful methods of minimizing the severity and duration of the anxiety, but are no substitute for preventive care.

Your experience of anxiety is a biological process. The experience of anxiety is very real. Chemicals (neurotransmitters) are rushing through your system. Your blood flow is being re-directed, affecting your senses, balance and motor movements. Your judgment is impaired, as though you have ingested a drug.

The simplest preventive measures are the same as your Grandmother taught you... diet, sleep, exercise, recreation. Folks are different but no-one is superhuman. If you are prone to panic episodes and you neglect to sleep 6-8 hours, eat a couple decent meals each day, exercise a couple times a week, and pursue some interest occasionally, then you can be assured you will have another panic episode and other health problems, or at least a miserable life.

The more complex measures are certainly worth pursuing, especially if the anxiety is interfering with your life. These measures ought to include development of cognitive skills with the help of a licensed therapist. The way we think has a profound impact upon those neurotransmitters mentioned earlier. Thinking skills can prevent the deluge of chemicals and avoid the loss of judgment that results in a feedback loop ending with debilitating panic.
You may also benefit from consultation with a psychiatrist and consideration of medication management. I believe the order of these steps matters. Because the medications do often work, folks are often reluctant to go back and develop thinking skills after having found a pill.

So, do the things Grandma recommended, read a book about Rational Emotive Therapy, meet 5-6 times with a Licensed Mental Health Counselor to develop your thinking, and consider seeing a psychiatrist for medication management.
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slow, controlled breathing. for emergencies i have a prescription of klonopin, and i've found that just knowing that i have them helps me to get through it without actually taking them.
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I love Lucinda Bassett's book, "From Panic To Power".
Source(s):
Personal experience after reading a lot of anti-anxiety literature

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If you are having one, then honestly, I would sit down, take a brown paper bag and breathe into it while leaning over. Keep breathing until it's over, then lie down.

That's what I used to do. Even better, don't have one. I used to have them and the way I stopped is that (well #1 I stopped drinking :-/) whenever I felt that fear creep up on me of having one, I would not allow myself to feel that fear. I would think about the panic attack, think about having it, but not let myself feel fear.

I think the fear of having another one is what kept triggering them in myself. So when you find yourself starting to feel afraid, get up and walk around, laugh, cry, call someone, do anything, but sitting in fearful anticipation.
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The issue is that your autonomic nervous system is encoded at an unconscious level.
In my experience the best method for dealing with this is EMDR or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy. This is also used for PTSD therapy as well. Having done over 2k hours of talk and body therapy, this was the fastest method I have ever experienced for accessing the somatic feelings at an unconscious level and bring them into awareness where they could be processed and integrated.
Whatever the root cause of your anxiety/panic attacks happens to be, this will surface it and allow you to control and eliminate it as a response to the circumstances that trigger your issue(s).
Source(s):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMDR

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get a prescription from your doctor. Paxil works wonders for me. Havent had a single panic attack since starting it about nine years ago.
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lots of times people who have panic attacks are so worried about having a panic attack that they trigger one themselves! the key is relaxation. Do yoga and meditation, and control stress in your life.

Of course going to a Psychologist would help you out a lot too.
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First, most doctors aren't going to be able to help. The cause of panic attacks isn't from the lack of Xanax in the bloodstream. What else can doctors do except prescribe meds and tell you to see a specialist and rest? Nothing.

A person I know very well suffered from panic attacks and she was able to fix it permanently without meds.

She made herself panic-attack proof first by tracking what she ate and discovered sugar or caffeine was eaten the day of every attack. After talking with her, I discovered she didn't eat enough fruit and veggies and did not drink much water. She was often constipated and didn't supplement with vitamins and minerals. Each one of these lifestyle changes are critically important and must be implemented to experience full results.

Her panic attacks resolved when she starting drinking only filtered water, avoiding sugar (such as sodas and snacks) and caffeine, eating organic fruits and veggies, supplementing with fish oil, vitamins and minerals, and got chiropractic adjustments. Also, she become more regular.

Today she only experiences the early stages of panic attacks (that tense and tight all over feeling is what I'm calling early stage panic attack) when she reverses lifestyle and diet changes. Each lifestyle change plays an important role in maintaining her health to this day.

Do this and your body may be able to handle additional emotional stress without going into full on panic attacks just as she has experienced. Oh, and as a bonus you may lose a little weight and feel better overall! :)
Source(s):
Second Hand Experience
www.bodyecology.com

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If this is a common occurance--and you do not want to use medications or they are not helpful--consider enrolling in something like Yoga or Pilates--these types of exercises are great for many helath problems....

in the mean time--just stop--block out the rest of the world--try to breath in a rythym--you need to otherwise distract yourslef
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Most of my panic attacks are brought on by a seemingly endless things I need to get done and a very short time to do them in. To calm down I start with the typical thing, sit down, take slow deep breathes. Then I focus on the first thing I need to do, the smaller the better, like stand up or put on my shoes and slowly build until I have a planed out what I need to do and in what order. I have to remember I can't worry about step 5 until I have completed steps 1 through 4.
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About 3 years ago, due to some disease I've been going through, I was experiencing panick attacks and they were occuring mainly immediately after going to bed. I was dominated by a fear of immediate death and in a positive feed-back loop, this was causing the heart to beat faster and faster which in its turn was making me feel more and more anctious. I was trying to play background nature sounds, or relaxing music, but the effects were limitted to short time periods and a small concentration mistake would make me fall down the panick spiral again. Once the underlining medical condition got better, the panick attacks were less frequent, but they did not dissappear at all and just at this thought I could have triggered more.
I was realizing that the main cause of panick was the fear of immediate death and the irrational thought that death is a horrible thing to happen and that was creating a positive feed-back loop. I realized that I had a problem with accepting death. I started to go again more regularily to church and to transform it into a mystical experience, rather than a social experience which it used to be. I started to read the bible and church fathers, Saint John Chrysostom, which despite the time he was writing is still very contemporary. After this, I found myself other church fathers which are very helpful, like elder Cleopa, saint Silouan is really great, or Sophrony Sacharov which are contemporary.
I tryed to change my way of living, I started to look around and clean my life.
Now, when I see a panick attack barely creeping in, I bring the thought that everybody dies and even if I were to die next second, LET IT BE! I am not the one who decides when I die anyway and when that moment comes, I wellcome it. The moment I bring this thought in, the panick attack dissolves away and a state of calm and happiness settles in. It was not easy, but now I feel I am on top of the situation.
Source(s):
personal experience

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