Panic attacks can happen almost instantly and they usually consist of an immense amount of fear, anxiety and mental and physical discomfort. A panic attack may be an arbitrary event but there can be triggering events such as having to give a speech in front of an audience or going to a place full of strangers. Your body is inundated with hormones, especially adrenaline and you find that you cannot control your fear.
Panic attacks are often compared to heart attacks; the person feels like they have no control over their body or senses. They become dizzy, nauseous, and sweaty and experience chest pains or a tightening of the chest. A person may also become light-headed and feel as if they may pass out; they may feel like they are choking and have heart palpitations. Some people that experience panic attacks literally run from the place where the panic attack occurred, as if trying to escape the attack.
The first thing a person who is experiencing a panic attack should do is try to relax. You should tense your muscles and then relax them - you can start with your arms, flex the muscles and then allow them to relax while taking slow breaths. Reassure yourself that you are going to be okay as you start to unwind and calm your body.
Many people who have experienced numerous panic attacks can actually internalize the event, so that the people around them wouldn't recognize that they are suffering from a considerable amount of emotional and physical duress. Panic attacks don't usually last for more than an hour and some episodes are fairly short. Doctors sometimes prescribe valium to patients who suffer from panic attacks but they also like to find out if there are other things, such as depression, that are causing them to suffer through this event.
With the mounting evidence and cases of people suffering from side effects of prescription medications, many people are turning toward herbal anxiety remedies. These supplements have all natural ingredients and do not have side effects similar to those found in Alprazolam, Paxil, Prozac and other panic attack medications.
Herbal remedies may contain ingredients like magnolia bark, lemon balm, valerian root, passion flower and some B-vitamins. Investigate the ingredients in these herbs for anxiety to make sure that they are effective and top quality.