I smoke a cigarette. I don't recommend it. Not only is it bad for your health, nicotine is a stimulant. (Don't even ask me why I continue...I have no clue.) Better to try a soothing tea, meditation, any habit/act that makes you feel secure and soothed...sometimes I go into a smaller area and close the door in order to limit the stimuli to which I am exposed. ptrask: how'd you manage it? I had quit for the longest time and then started up again when my ex started physically abusing me. I've been unable to kick the habit since. :(

You can try diaphragmatic breathing. You see this all the time when people who are hyperventilating and panicking breath into a paper bag. Fill the bag up completely with your breath and then inhale it all back in. This action forces you to take in less oxygen and more carbon dioxide which calms you down. You can also try stress relieving activites such as Yoga, Sports/exercise or Tai Chi. See some more information on Panic attacks Here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panic_attack#Treatment http://www.dmt123.com/mental-health/98-dmt123.html

“Panic attacks can be brought under control. Many whose fear of panic keeps them housebound have been helped by exposure therapy. In this treatment a patient is exposed to the situation he fears and is helped to stay there until panic diminishes. Those with heart trouble, asthma, peptic ulcer, colitis, or similar illnesses should consult a doctor before attempting this treatment. Relaxation techniques can be employed to alleviate the buildup of anxiety. Some of these are discussed in the accompanying box “Calming Skills.” But do not wait for the onset of panic. These skills are best practiced during low anxiety periods. When mastered, they can diminish or even prevent future attacks. Panic thrives on perfectionism and low self esteem. “While I was having anxiety attacks, Mr. Negative ruled my life,” says one sufferer. “I told myself that because I had anxiety, I was inferior to others and therefore unlovable.” Reversing such attitudes can reduce anxieties that lead to panic. There is great value in confiding anxieties to a trusted friend. Talking them out can help the sufferer to distinguish problems that must be endured from problems that can be solved. Not to be overlooked is prayer. Psalm 55:22 says: “Throw your burden upon Jehovah himself, and he himself will sustain you. Never will he allow the righteous one to totter.” Rather than a single, mountainous problem, it is often the accumulation of small, seemingly insignificant distresses that induces panic much like the way running too many individual electrical appliances on the same circuit can blow a fuse. One solution is to write down each problem on an index card and arrange them from the simplest problem to the most difficult. Tackle them one at a time. Writing out your distresses changes their makeup from what you fear and avoid to what you can see and resolve. Some are aided by taking prescribed tranquilizers or antidepressants. However, a caution is in order. “I do not feel that medication alone is the answer,” says counselor Melvin Green. “It should be used as an adjunct while seeking the answer. . . . Drugs may allow you to be more functional, and that can give you the opportunity to seek other help to deal with the causes of agoraphobia and work toward your recovery.” Source: Awake! Magazine, June 8th 1996 page 20

I get panic attacks all the time for no reason at all when I get low blood sugar, I've found that the best way is to just breath very, very deeply, and find some inner mantra to focus on to divert your mind away from what's causing the attack. (A mantra such as counting to 47 by 3s, or saying the alphbet backwards.

I suppose you are looking for an answer better (and less illegal) than 'smoke some weed'?

The first couple of times that I had a panic attack I didn't know what it was, so it scared the hell out of me and only made things worse. (The first time I thought I was going into cardiac arrest, the second time, I thought I was having a stroke.) Now that I'm better at identifying one when it comes on, I can feel all of the sensations--including the "fight or flight" one--without fear and, though it's uncomfortable, I can wait for it to pass. Others things that have helped... Guided relaxations. The first time I ever experienced a panic attack, I happened to have a guided relaxation on my mp3 player. Listening to this helped me gain control long enough to let the episode pass. A Support Friend. I've got a buddy who's had these things long before I ever did, so when I feel one coming on I call him up to run the symptoms by him and then just shoot the breeze about mindless stuff. The latter seems to work best of all. Hope this helps. B.R. Randall http://anxiety-panic-attack-help.blogspot.com

i just ride it out - actually face the fear and wait - nothing bad lasts forever :) im strong and i can take it - bring it on!