I have frequent panic attacks myself, and after a few hit-and-miss attempts at easing them with medications, I always go back to the more natural remedies. I go about using a few drops of lavender oil on ky pillows at night. Or a dab on my wrists during the day, because it was wonderful calming properties. It's also great for headaches as well.

There are sprays you can get from health food stores that help when you're having panic attacks. Just a quick spray under the tongue as often as it reccomends you do.

I'm not sure how well you are with meditating. I'm not very good at it personally but even just closing your eyes and focusing your whole attention on breathing as deeply as you can for a while helps.

Music is a fantastic calming effect when you've got the right genre. Myppersonal favorite is Of Monsters and Men when I'm feeling particularly awful. Chuck some headphones in your ears, and breathe.

I hope some of these suggestions help!

Be well x

I was very adverse to taking any kind of medication for my anxiety. Some days stress relief tea, meditation, and guided imagery really help. Other days the only thing that works is to take something for the anxiety. It never hurts to take medication as long as it is prescribed by a doctor and not taken too often.

During true panic, lamaz breathing and grounding really help. Verbalize what you can feel, smell, taste, hear, and see around you. This form of grounding helps to remind the brain that you are not in mortal danger and it brings you back. I hope this helps!

What are the thoughts you are having at the time? do you find you have a thought or a worry and it sets off an attack, and you calm down and the thought comes back and the hackles go up and the flooding of adrenaline starts again?

I had to learn to identify these thoughts, feel my way towards them, keep them in my mind. My strongest urge was to block them but I had to learn to turn the other way and embrace them.

Most of my thoughts involve me thinking that I am in danger, either physically or in general. This is what usually sets off my panic attacks, but sometimes they will come out of nowhere. This makes me more panicked because then I begin to fear when another one will happen.

I live in NYC so there is a lot of over stimulation, I think this may add to my anxiety unconsciously. I've had my worst panic attacks on the subway, having a feeling of no escape and being uncomfortable with all the people surrounding me.

Whenever I try to accept my fears it makes me panic even more. I'm not sure if this just takes a lot of practice but I haven't had the best outcomes.

I really appreciate everyone's advice and help.

First you must realize you are having a panic attack which is nothing more than your "fight or flight" switch that has been activated and is stuck (fear perpetuates this feeling and the symptoms perssist).
Once you identify that it is just a panic attack.....know a panic attack can not kill you....the proof is....it hasn't killed you thus far.

Once you acknowledge that it is a panic attack look for something around you to focus on. Tell yourself you are NOT in any danger....keep looking around your surroundings to let yourself know you are not in any danger and to focus on.
To help your heart to stop racing....focus on something and start the deep breathing exercise.....A deep breath in through the nose. Hold it for several seconds and then slowly blow out through pursed lips until you have expelled all breath that you can (usually about 7 seconds worth). Do this several times (or more)...this helps the sympathetic system kick in to slow your heart rate down. You may feel a bit dizzy at first, but that is ok.....you are flooding your brain with oxygen. Keep telling yourself you are ok and distract yourself with music.....or anything that will shift your focus from yourself.
Look up the fight or flight and you will see all of your symptoms there and why they are necessary.
Ppl with anxiety and panic attacks usually have negative thoughts or have had some trauma(s) in their life that has caused negative thinking. So when you are having a panic attack, you are usually unconsciously relating it to something in the past.
Don't try to figure it out. If you know what the trauma(s) is....great.....have a therapist help you resolve your issue(s)....if not....just start the deep breathing. Sometimes you may have one panic attack after another.....just keep redoing the deep breathing...ok?
Catch yourself when you are thinking a negative thought and replace it with a positive self talk (i.e. "I'm stupid" change it to "I made a mistake, but that is ok......I'm pretty smart").
This is not a quick fix....you did not get anxiety over night...and you will not fix it over night. It is a habit that you created and you can stop it by being consistent for a considerable amount of time (I think it is a month to create a new habit....so stick with it).
I started a gratitude rant every day. While getting ready in the morning (making the bed, coffee, taking a shower and getting dressed), I rant on out loud about all that I am grateful for. I get into feeling the feelings of gratitude and setting the tone for the day.
I also stopped reading the news....it's always a downer and out of my control....same with the weather.
I listen to upbeat music (love Pharrell Williams song, "Happy").

It has taken me several months to reteach myself to be positive.....daily!
The brain is able to reroute and rewire itself. However, you have to do the work.....no magic pill.
I have been off all meds for almost 2 years. I rarely have a panic attack.....I usually laugh it off cuz I know what it is.....it hasn't killed me....and I know it can't. Once I acknowledge it....laugh it off.....and ignore it.....voila....gone!!!!

Hope this helps and best of luck!

Thank you so much !! It's hard not to feel alone a lot throughout this process, but all this helps a bunch. Thanks everyone!

I used to have panic attacks and I haven't had one in years now. Its just a matter of understanding what it is you are panicking over and having faith in the knowledge that your brain and mind are no different than anybody else's and that you have NOT lost your ability calm yourself down.
Panic attacks are not really "attacks". They are just you panicking the same way that anybody who panics would panic. The only difference is that you are so sensitized from fatigue and mental stress, and that is causing you to OVER react to things you wouldn't normally over react to. A simple thought or a bodily sensation....THAT is what you are panicking over...you just don't realize it so you feel like it is your brain making you panic instead of you CHOOSING to panic because something has terrified you.
You CAN calm yourself down. All you need to do so, is the belief that you can, and to lower your level of sensitivity so you don't over react to such minor things.
You have to take care of yourself better and rest more and get out of whatever is going on in your life that is causing you to be THIS stressed out. Panic attacks are a warning sign. I had them terribly and if I can get over them, anybody can. Good luck!

Thank you for the advice! Thankfully I am leaving New York and going home to the Midwest for the holidays so I think this will ease my stress.

I guess it's really my reaction to the panic that is the worst. I usually completely lose it and end up calling my boyfriend and freaking out or a lot of the times calling my doctor and scheduling an appointment to only cancel it the next day (this happens a couple times a week). I have a really hard time controlling myself emotionally when I begin to panic.

I have the hardest time slowing my heart rate down, and this is what scares me the most. I always try to drink herbal tea to help but it can sometimes make it even worse, it always makes me feel like there's something medically wrong with me.

Hopefully going home and spending time with family and close friends will help the situation. Thanks so much for everyone's friendly and helpful advice.

The deep breathing exercise I told you about will help slow your heart down. It kicks in the sympathetic nervous system.
I too am free of anxiety. I am diabetic and when my sugar is too high or low, my heart rate rises and I get head pressure. I still do the deep breathing......I have to do it for a few minutes, but it always works. Sometimes it makes me a bit dizzy, but that is becuz I'm flooding my brain with oxygen. Usually if my blood sugar is low, I have to have sugar or something to bring my blood sugar back into range.....so until the food kicks in...usually a few minutes, I do the deep breathing to get my heart rate back down.
Try to focus on something else while doing the deep breathing.....some nice or relaxing thought helps.

I do have panic and panic attacks, living in Los Angeles, and I have to say Xanax and Ativan PRNs are usually what I reach for. Meds just take care of it very quickly. I take Klonopin twice a day also, to keep my anxiety managed.

The deep breathing suggested here is great, I do that too, and lots of yoga when there's space and privacy for it.

It can be very overwhelming being in public transit spaces like the subway. I used to live in San Francisco and regularly freak out on the MUNI or BART. Now freaking out in my car is probably just as bad but at least I can talk myself through it.

Yes, the subway is very overwhelming most of the time! I have been feeling much better since joining this support group.

It is so nice to hear from people who are dealing with anxiety as well. My boyfriend has a really hard time understanding how I'm feeling when I have a panic attack and sometimes can say the wrong things. So all this advice from everyone is such a gift for me, thanks so much again.