Here's some good news: it is entirely possible to stop panic attacks. Even without specific treatment, panic attacks usually subside on their own in most people. However, with appropriate therapy a suffer can be anxiety free quicker and more reliably. Here are some approaches to consider.

Most people probably think of drugs and psychotherapy as treatment options when they have to deal with panic attacks. I definitely don't intend to give medical advice, only my own opinion. My opinion is that medication can be of help as part of an overall plan and that traditional Freudian psychotherapy is slow, expensive and usually ineffective.

Having said that, what are the treatment options?

Lifestyle

If you're suffering from chronic stress, anxiety and panic attacks, one of the first things you need to do is to take an honest look at your life and how you're living it. There seem to be more and more demands on all of us these days and it's easy to get completely of balance. You need to pay attention to your overall well-being, not just so you can get your anxiety under control but to have a meaningful life.

A healthy diet and physical activity are foundations of all aspects of vitality. You know you should stay away from junk food, sugars and highly processed food. I won't say anymore about it here

Regular exercise is well proven to have long-term psychological and emotional benefits in addition to its obvious physical rewards.

You should also look at the ideas and images you feed your brain. If you're having a tendency toward anxiety watching the evening news compulsively, reading Stephen King novels and going to scary movies probably isn't a great idea. Your mentor diet is as important as your physical diet.

Most people these days are sleep deprived. Do your best to get at least seven hours of sleep a night, and preferably eight or nine.

Cut out, or at least greatly reduce, caffeine and other stimulants.

Deep Breathing

There is a reason that so many meditation tradition's focus on the breath and deep breathing. The necessity of breathing to life goes well beyond merely bringing in oxygen and getting rid of carbon dioxide. It may sound absurd, but most of us don't know how to breathe properly. We've got into bad habits and we've forgotten how to use our diaphragm properly. It's well worth the small amount of effort it takes to relearn deep, diaphragmatic breathing.

Relaxation Response

The relaxation response is the opposite of the stress response, which makes it a natural to help counteract anxiety and panic attacks. You can find out more about it at

Medications

Finally we get to medications. Other pages on this site go into them in some detail and you can follow these links to find them:

Medications for Anxiety and Panic Attacks

Panic Attacks and Antidepressants

Types of Antidepressants Used to Treat Panic Attacks

Let me just say here that broadly the categories used are antidepressants, sedatives and beta blockers. As you will learn on the other pages, there are several if types of antidepressants. Often finding the one that works best for an individual is a matter of some trial and error.

My opinion is that sedatives (typically Valium type drugs) should be avoided if at all possible and if necessary used for a very brief time only. They aren't all that effective, their effectiveness rapidly diminishes and there is a high risk of becoming dependent.

Psychological Treatment

I've already revealed my bias against Freudian psychotherapy. Maybe it comes from looking at too many old New Yorker cartoons.

Actually, I really think it comes from seeing one of my brothers and a few of my friends go through years of classic "couch therapy" without really feeling any better.

On the other hand, there are entirely new psychological treatments that are extremely effective. I highly recommend that you look into cognitive behavioral therapy, sometimes referred to as cognitive restructuring. This approach is extremely effective, and often in a very short period of time. In fact, it is one of the leading forms of what is becoming known as "brief psychotherapy."

Conclusion

Obviously there are lots of treatment options available. I haven't gone into any of the herbal or alternative treatments, such as acupuncture, that can be of help. The main point I want to make is that it is possible to stop panic attacks and of the normal life.

If the attacks are extremely severe and you really feel out of control it's probably best to get professional help and guidance early on. On the other hand, if the situation is relatively mild you may well be able to apply a variety of self-help ideas to deal with it yourself. A program that I especially like is Panic Puzzle.

Click on This Link to Check It Out