These symptoms can hit you out of the blue or more likely can be triggered by extreme fear or trauma. When symptoms seem to come out of nowhere this is called an uncued panic attack. When something triggers the panic attacks symptoms then they are called situational panic attacks. It may seem easier to just avoid situations that cause these devastating symptoms, but that isn’t the smartest action to take. Although staying away from a certain situation that triggers your symptoms can help you initially; the symptoms are bound to return whether you return to the situation or not.

The best course of action that an anxiety attack sufferer can take is to first seek to educate themselves on the subject as much as possible. If you can comprehend why your body is reacting this way to certain situations than half the battle is already won. Educating yourself should always be coupled with professional help from a doctor. Doctor’s can recommend a medication, or if you aren’t the prescription type then they may be able to recommend some coping mechanisms or foods that can help you get past these paralyzing attacks. It is hard dealing with panic attacks symptoms, and it’s even harder if you try and do it without any outside material or help. Educating yourself and seeking outside help will free you from the grip of anxiety attacks and help you get your life back.

There are ways to change your brain chemistry without taking pills or taking prescription medicines. Many people swear by exercise as a way to cure depression. This is an example of one of the many natural remedies for depression. When you exercise endorphins are released into your brain and it naturally makes you feel better about just about everything. Many runners describe this feeling as a “high” or you may have heard of the term “runner’s high”. This is a way to describe the feeling that endorphins give the person running.

Natural remedies for depression may be a better option than prescription drugs, but that is something you should check with your doctor about because sometimes depression can consume you. Whether you choose to use natural remedies or prescription medicines or even a combination of the two you should educate yourself as much as possible. Try books and forums for support. Depression is something that can’t be cured overnight, but educating yourself is one of the best ways to get yourself out of the dark whole that we call depression.

Generalized anxiety disorder is not easily cured, and the people who are afflicted with it can become extremely obsessed with the worst case scenario in a situation that would be totally safe by “normal” person’s standards. It can negatively affect a person’s life in an extremely negative way. It can overtake a person’s social life and destroy them as a social being. Someone who used to be a very active and outgoing person can become debilitated by generalized anxiety disorder symptoms. It usually starts with a tramatic event or extreme change in a person’s life. Many people don’t experience their first anxiety attacks until they get older, so just because you were okay as a child doesn’t mean that you are immune to it as an adult.

Moving past anxiety and living with it is a task that is much easier said than done. It can take years to get past generalized anxiety disorder. Some use natural homemade remedies coupled with long hours of self reflection and meditation. Others choose to take the more conventional route when it comes to neutralizing generalized anxiety symptoms and visit there doctor for prescription medications. There are pros and cons to both plans of attack against generalized anxiety. Meditation and natural remedies may not work as fast or even be as affective as prescription drugs, and prescription drugs may carry extremely negative side effects with them. Whichever path you choose; educating yourself is one of the best ways to get past anxiety. Talk to your doctor and read as much material as you can about anxiety and you are sure to be free from the chains of anxiety soon enough.

Feeling nauseous or having chest pains could just be that pot of chili backfiring on you. That pounding heartbeat or shortness of breath could just be due to the aerobics you just did. But put all those symptoms together, toss is a little panic and fear, and then step it up a few dozen notches by adding the feeling that you’re about to die, and you now have yourself a full blown panic attack. Panic attacks are the primary symptom of Panic Disorder and it’s estimated that 1 in 20 people suffer from these attacks as often as 3 to 4 times a week. Sometimes even daily.

There are various theories about what causes panic attacks. Some say they’re genetic, some say they’re caused by something traumatic that occurred in our childhood and others say they can be brought on at any time just be being under severe stress. While the causes are not known, one thing is for certain. If you have them, the only thing you care about is how to stop them.

I’m sure you’ve heard of all the suggested remedies – visualize yourself in a calm, beautiful place, practice your breathing exercises, focus you mind on something, tell yourself over and over again that you are NOT going to die and that you WILL be alright. You may even have heard of aromatherapy and possibly even given it a try.

But researchers have taken aromatherapy one step further by suggesting that stopping that panic attack is simply a matter of following your nose. That’s right. Your nose knows! These researchers suggest that you sniff aromas that remind you of happy childhood memories. A sniff or two is all it takes to almost instantly stop your panic attack.

Alan R. Hirsch, M.D., a psychiatrist and neurologist who heads the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, states that, one odor that seems to stop panic attacks in just about everyone who smells it is baby powder. Think about it. Baby powder has such a clean smell and it brings such cute images to mind. Warm, cuddly babies.

Apparently, other odors have a similar affect and they vary depending on where you were born. For instance, for people from the East Coast, flowers have a calming effect, while to people from the West Coast, it’s the smell of barbecue. For those from the South, the preferred aroma is fresh air and from the Midwest it’s farm animals. Other aromas that seem to be excellent remedies for panic attacks are salt air, mom’s home cooking and chocolate chip cookies. So keep some of that frozen chocolate chip cookie dough on hand to pop into the oven the next time you feel a panic attack coming on.

Talk to a friend. Having someone you trust, someone you can rely on to listen to you without judging you, is important to everyone. But especially to someone who suffers from panic attacks. Too many people think that panic attacks are “all in your head” or think that if you’d only relax you’d be fine. These people make it even more difficult for the person going through these attacks to calm down because they think they really are going insane.

Get a dog. Yes, that’s right. Dog is man’s, or woman’s, best friend. And do you know why? Because they can’t talk, so they can’t tell you “it’s all in your head”, and they love you unconditionally. And dogs just make you smile. Just try to look at one WITHOUT smiling. Smiling releases chemicals to the brain that immediately have a calming effect.

Have some fun. Sometimes we get so involved in our problems and illnesses that we forget all about having fun. We may even forget that it’s possible to have fun. No matter how bad you feel, take some time out today to play catch with your son or have a tea party with your daughter. Go shopping at your favorite boutique or go to the beach and pick up some pretty shells. Even if it’s only for 15 minutes, that’s 15 minutes that you’ll be distracted, which will help ease your anxious feelings.

Express yourself. If you’re feeling anxious, express those feeling to another person, or write them down or speak them into a tape recorder. Often, just stating it out loud will greatly reduce your anxiety level.

Take care of yourself. Eat a well balanced, nutritious diet and get 1 hour of physical exercise 5 days a week. Taking care of your body physically increases your feelings of well being and helps reduce those anxious thoughts.

Find Friendship. Everyone needs a friend that they can rely on and trust to help them out in a pinch. If you don’t already have one, make it a point to find one. Start with your church or a support group for people who suffer from panic attacks.

Take time out for yourself. No matter how busy your life may be or the demands you have, it is important and anxiety-reducing to make time to do things which are important, nurturing, and life-enhancing for YOU.

Just say “NO!”. Taking on too much responsibility, especially during the holiday season, can make us feel overwhelmed and anxious. This is the worst possible thing for someone who suffers from panic attacks. Learn to say “No!” to keep these feelings at bay.

Keep a chart or journal on your progress and successes – No matter how small or seemingly insignificant, keeping a written record of your progress is one of the best panic attacks treatments you can do for yourself. Progress is always encouraging and encouragement brings a little peace of mind.

One of the most effective therapies for overcoming panic attacks is Cognitive – Behavioral Therapy. This therapy works to change the victim’s thought patterns and behaviors in reaction to the panic attack, with the belief that, people suffering from panic disorder often have a distorted view of the attack, which adds to the intensity of the attacks.

First, the person feels the onset of the panic attack, often a minor symptom like tingling I the fingers or toes, or maybe a slight tightness in the chest. This cause the patient to become anxious. The increased anxiety level then adds to the intensity of the attack, maybe making the chest feel even tighter and causing a shortness of breath and dizziness. These additional symptoms again increase the level of anxiety and there’s a whole snowball effect that results in a full blown panic attack, complete with nausea, headache, shakiness and feelings of doom and death.

Cognitive Therapy focuses on those feelings of anxiety and attempts to have the patient focus on each individual feeling of anxiety and disseminate that particular feeling. or example, a patient who states that during a panic attack they “feel like they are dying” is told that panic attacks do not cause death. And then the next time they have an attack, when they get that feeling, they are able to diminish it by remembering that panic attacks do not cause death. By remembering that panic attacks do not cause death, they are able to break that cycle of thoughts becoming fears, fears becoming anxieties, anxieties becoming panic attacks.

The Behavioral Therapy concentrates on changing the patients behaviors during the attack, with special attention paid to relaxation techniques like visualization and focusing. The therapist encourages the patient to bring on some of the sensations of a panic attack by running to increase the heart rate or breathing rapidly to bring on light headedness or respiratory problems or spinning to create dizziness. Then the therapist teaches the patient to cope with each problem by replacing thoughts like “I am going to die” with thoughts like “I’m just a little dizzy. I can handle this”.

Behavioral Therapy also helps those patients who have been so devastated by their panic attacks that they can no longer leave their house or drive a car. Although these therapies take a little time and effort, they have been shown to be quite effective at overcoming panic.

The use of Kava to relieve symptoms of anxiety dates back thousands of years to ancient tribes of the South Pacific Islands. A tea is made using the roots of the plant and fresh water. It was traditional used to lift one’s spirits. This non-addictive herb can work as a very fast and effective tranquilizer, and can be used to reduce stress and relieve anxiety. Effects are often felt within a week after beginning to use.

Valerian Root has been used as a sedative for years and has been proven to be an effective treatment to relieve anxiety. Widely accepted by doctors all over the world, this safe, non-addictive herb can be used to reduce stress, anxiety, agitation, tremors and disturbances. When used during the day it relieves stress and reduces anxiety. Used in the evening, it will relieve insomnia and promote deep sleep.

The herb Catnip is a member of the mint family and is often used as an anti-anxiety medication, to relieve stress and to relieve sleeplessness. Catnip has a mild sedative effect, relaxes muscles, relieve migraine pain and can even help heal minor tissue injuries.

Ginseng has many uses, most notably to relieve anxiety. It also reduces stress, promotes a sense of well being, aids in relaxation, and helps maintain a balanced emotional state.

Generally, herbs are brewed, as a tea, and taken while warm. Soaking in a warm bath in which you’ve steeped some herbs is relaxing, too. Including some herbs in a carrier oil and using them for massage is also very beneficial in that it reduces stress, relieves anxiety and relaxes you for bedtime.

Here are a few more herbs that are considered to be helpful herbs for anxiety: Ashwagandha, Lemon balm, Zizyphi seed and Iligustrum, GLA, St. John’s Wort, Bugleweed, and Chamomile.

If you’re considering taking herbal medications to help relieve your panic attacks, it’s best if you consult your doctor first. Some herbs can interfere with the prescription medications that you doctor may have you on. And some could have a negative effect on you if not used properly. A quick question to your doctor would be best before beginning to take any herbs for anxiety.

In the event of one of these surprise attacks, I find it easiest to try using visualization to calm my fears and relieve my anxiety. I imagine myself lying on the beach, with the sun warming my body and the waves tickling my toes. I actually concentrate hard enough to feel the grains of sand beneath my legs and the warmth of the sun on my face and arms. I keep concentrating until I can feel the breeze drifting over my body and smell the salt in the air. This intense concentration takes me away from the panic attack long enough for it to subside. If I didn’t escape to the beach, I’d just go spiraling down with the attack, as each new sensation brought on by the attack added to the panic and fear and anxiety. By using visualization I’m able to calm myself within a matter of minutes and the panic attack has passed.

Sometimes, if I’m in line at the grocery store or driving my car, it’s not always possible to close my eyes and drift away to the beach when a panic attack hits. That’s when I use focusing as a way to divert my attention from the attack and point it in another direction. Depending on where I am when it occurs, I may choose to focus on a clock on the wall, or a magazine on the rack. Anything that will allow me to remain alert yet diverted from the pain of the attack. I keep a bundle of rubber bands in my purse and in my car, too, just in case. If I can’t immediately find something to focus on that will take my mind off of the panic attack, I slip a rubber band over my wrist and snap it, repeatedly, until I have gotten my mind away from the attack. Of course, I usually have a couple of nice, little red lines around my wrist when I’m done, but it’s a small price to pay if it stops my panic attack.

When someone asks me for advice on how to stop panic attacks, these are the two methods I most often recommend because they don’t require any special equipment, like brewing tea, and they don’t require you take a class to learn them, like learning proper breathing techniques. And, unlike the breathing techniques which I find complicated, these two techniques always work for me.

Lavender has been hailed as one of the best natural remedies for anxiety. Whether it is in the form of the flower or just a plug in wall airfreshner the calming affects of lavender are unmistakable. Lavender has been used for years as a home remedy to stressful situations. The calming affects don’t have much science behind them, but once you experience the anxiety reducing affects of lavender there isn’t an experimented needed. Lavender is a natural remedy for anxiety that has been hailed as an alternative to prescription medications for years.

People have also used chamomile and lemon balm as natural remedies for anxiety. These can have a calming effect upon an anxious person. Chamomile is said to be the “number two” natural remedy when it comes to calming an anxious person down. Lavender being the “number one” alternative to over the counter or prescription medications.

Using prescription medications or natural remedies to cure or help your anxiety can be a tough choice. The best way to make this decision is by educating yourself with books and material, and then talking to your doctor about the choices and decisions as you moving forward. The decision is not an easy one and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. If you educate yourself and move forward in a logical and guided manner then soon enough anxiety will be a thing of the past. Freeing yourself from anxiety can be one of the most empowering things that you ever do.

Getting to the source of what causes your anxiety can be a lengthy and sometimes painful process. Can you identify the events or the situations that trigger your anxiety or panic attack symptoms? The only way to eliminate your anxiety is to find out what is causing it at the source. This should be done under the supervision of a physician; although, many people are successful in eliminating their anxiety without any prescriptions or Doctor’s help.

Many people swear by prescriptions and rave that they have changed their lives. Others say that they have ruined their personality and condemn pills to the fullest. There are positives and negatives to taking prescriptions you just have to figure out whether you are comfortable with ingesting something that can dramatically affect your brain chemistry. There are options other than prescriptions when it comes to coping with anxiety.

Coping with anxiety can get pretty intense and pretty complicated very quickly. This is why when you decide to cope with your anxiety you must arm yourself with as much information as possible. Be caredul in what kind of information that you take into account. There is information out there that can actually be extremely harmful if it is implemented incorrectly or interpreted wrong. Do not fret. There is information out there that is accurate and helpful and as long as it is used the correct way. Educating yourself about anxiety can only benefit your efforts when it comes to coping with anxiety and freeing yourself from the paralyzing fear.