Copyright (c) 2010 Peter Rubel

You wish you could end your panic attacks now. They are no picnic. Aside from the overwhelming sense of fear, your heart and breathing race. You have abdominal pains, profuse sweating, dry mouth. You feel dizzy. Are you going to die? Of course panic attack symptoms as well as the frequency and length of attacks may vary.

The first step in ending panic attacks is recognizing that they are not harmful and that they come and go. This of course presumes that other diagnoses have been ruled out, like things that are imminently dangerous. Take real heart attacks or real danger from domestic violence as examples.

Then again, panic attacks often serve as warnings of other problems that need to be managed, like past emotional trauma or asthma. That is, various psychological and/or physical causes and influences may need to be addressed in order to end susceptibility to panic attacks.

Happily, various methods of controlling or eliminating panic attacks are very commonly helpful or effective. A combination of methods suited to the individual can be stronger than any one method by itself.

I. Psychological approaches to ending panic attacks

A. Therapies

The objective of various therapies used to treat panic attacks generally seems to be for the client or patient to replace negative or self-sabotaging beliefs with positive and encouraging ones. Or the goal is for the sufferer to accept the past and face the "what if's" of the future with emotional equilibrium and courage. During a panic attack, the psychological goal is to stop morbid thinking. This may be combined with controlling other immediate causes of anxiety such as hyperventilation.

Therapies generally address thoughts, speech, and behavior as they impinge on anxiety and panic. Sometimes such behavior-based therapy is applied in conjunction with physical means of manipulating the nervous system such as drugs, visual oscillation, certain exercises, massage and so on.

Educated medical practitioners typically supervise therapy so that they tend to be on the expensive side, but prove worthwhile when they are effective.

The number of therapy sessions, and therefore cost, may also vary. Counseling in groups is less expensive, but may not always be ideal. Sometimes different types of counselors or professionals may be needed to deal with immediate and ancillary issues (like panic and financial management or associated disease, depending).

Worth noting also is that the patient serves as his or her best doctor. The one suffering panic attacks chooses which advice to follow, what thoughts to think, how to practice lifestyle and so on. Therapy helpfully teaches us we need not face difficulties alone, but we each have our own responsibility too.

B. Spirituality

However much overlap there may be between professional secular therapy and religious practice in treating fear, there are approaches that may be unique to a given religion. One may consider unique forms of ritual, acts of charity, prayer and meditation as possibilities.

Probably at root, all persons have their own understanding of the universe and of themselves. These necessarily involve choices, beliefs, and presuppositions among other things. All persons have made their own commitment to issues like meaning, purpose, motivation, and existence. Such is the realm of spirituality and religion.

Some spiritual or religious belief and practice may and does buttress the war on anxiety and panic attacks. If we believe our lives have no purpose, that will have varied effects on how we handle panic. If we believe in supernatural benevolence, that too in some way will affect the way we address our panic.

II. Physical approaches to ending panic attacks

A. Controlled breathing

Hyperventilation is a very common symptom of panic attacks, and also a very common cause. We hyperventilate because we fear, and our fear escalates because we hyperventilate. Contrary to what we think, hyperventilation decreases the oxygen and blood flow in our brains, thus often giving us a sense of dizziness, light-headedness, numbness in extremities, sense of unreality, and contributing to our feeling as if we are dying.

To control the escalating anxiety cycle we need to breathe more slowly. That is best accomplished by preparing for panic and regularly exercising good breathing methods.

Ideally, one should breathe through the nose from deep in the lungs using the diaphragm at about six breaths per minute when at rest. One will probably need to work in stages to reach that goal and probably correct related health issues along the way, but even some control and slower breathing during a panic attack has proven helpful for many.

Note in addition that a relatively large percentage of people suffering from panic attack have or will also suffer from asthma.

Asthmatics often have the parasite Ascaris in their lungs and may have some kind of metal poisoning in their body (lead, mercury, nickel, cadmium and so on), a fungal problem, a toxic living environment (possibly via air, medicine, food, touch), Irritable Bowel Syndrome or some negative reaction to some food(s). Slow, deep breathing through the nose often helps asthmatics as well as panic disorder sufferers, but one may need to address other issues too.

B. Physical exercise

Regular physical exercise elevates mood, helps the body flush out toxins, and has a variety of positive influences, some of which indirectly aid in fighting panic attacks and other emotion-related problems like depression. Unfortunately, exercise may be difficult for people with asthma and other health problems. Seeking a doctor's advice is advised, possibly along with the use of HEPA filters, air purifiers, particle masks for the face, and care to avoid certain situations or over-exertion.

C. Diet and nutrition

One's diet may not match one's metabolic type or have deficiencies or unbalancing excesses. That can depress mood and affect anxiety. Those suffering from panic should also avoid sugar, refined carbohydrates, caffeine, alcohol, and recreational drugs.

There are also vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbs, homeopathic remedies and so on that have proven helpful for their calming or tranquilizing effects. Examples of these are GABA, tryptophan, B-vitamins, magnesium, the essential oil of Lavender (not for internal use), Passionflower, and Kava Kava.

However, if you are already taking prescription drugs for panic, asthma, or anything else, it is advisable to consult your doctor before taking calming nutritional materials, especially herbs, since there may be complications. Pregnant and lactating mothers should be particularly careful to obtain medical advice.

In summary, an integrated approach of the psychological and physical may be most effective for ending panic attacks. Methods commonly proven to be successful may be used in some combination to meet individual needs.