But how can you stop fear of the unknown?

give me an example

good question
made me think, fear of the unknown or what might happen, whats the worst that could happen? that you panic, but if you no longer fear panic you wont panic.

thats what my boyfriend always says to me, but Im having a hard time with it. You know because once the pa starts if its a strong one its so overwhelming you can't think about anything else but dying.

This is soo true. In the Lucinda Bassett program, she says that knowing the panic attack won't hurt you will eventually stop you from having panic attacks all together...and to remember that its only anxiety and it will go away. I tried this and my panic attacks stopped almost completely. Good luck!

lol, ya it's true if you don't fear having them you don't. Recently my boyfriend and I had an interesting conversation...I told him I was anxious and he asked me why. I told him I was worried that I will have an attack soon. He said well, your fear brings it on so dont fear it. And it's true, now whenever I get anxious and I start worrying about anxiety I try to be aware of it and stop those thoughts, b/c lets be honest, it is us who bring on the attax, if we didn't worry about having them and fear them, they would not happen. Key is to accept it and not be afraid because they will not harm us!

This is a really good point. It is a cycle that just repeats itself. I despise it.

i dont sit thinkin about my mxt attack i sit thinkin about all the horrible things that cud happen to me that im going to die, i feel fear all the time sometimes i can carry on as normal so to speak, at night i can be hysterical. how do u change the way u think

I think a variety of things bring on panic attacks.. I agree that if you've experienced panic attacks in the past, then thinking you're going to get one in a specific situation can help trigger one. It is the fear of the fear. But why did you get one in the first place? I think due to stress and genetic disposition some people's brain chemistry becomes off balance. It's similar to depression.. If you've had many very sad things happen to you, odds are you're going to get depressed. Your genetic disposition toward depression also has an influence. Once you are depressed, you brain's chemistry is affected. Some people can work their way through depression, anxiety or panic with counseling; some require counseling and temporary medication and others will always require medication. It depends upon the severity of the condition and how much is attributed to a biochemical condition.

Amen! It's the fear of fear. Once you take it's power away you're on the right track.

You r so very true and over the years I have found ways to make them go away or feel more relaxed if i feel one coming! A panic attack yes can be triggered by example I'm not going to the mall last time I had the worst panic attack I thought I would die! Me now when I feel one coming I get mad and ask why or I have saftey things when I go out! I always take a bottle of water(drink mouth gets dry)Great cd to listen to in car if I feel axious, chew gum always have my cell phone if i get real bad I call someone and talk about anything but a panic attack and I calm down! If u think about having one it is fear! FEAR OF THE UNKNOW!

I think you are right..because I have a bring it on attitude...but the funny thing is..its not always the attack....its the symptoms..like light headedness and heart beating...it may not be a full attack, but those little symptoms are the ones that hurt the most

very true, but hard to do.

YOU ARE COMPLEATLY RIGHT IN YOUR THOUGHTS, ONCE YOU HAVE A PANIC ATTACK YOU FEAR OF THE NEXT ONE AND SO ON AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY CAUSE YOURSELF TO HAVE ONE BY WORRING ABOUT HAVING ONE. BELIEVE ME I KNOW FROM EXPERENCE

I've been able to apply that kind of thinking at times and it has helped a good bit.

However,it still kicks my butt at times.

Years ago my first attack happened while I was driving on the highway.It didn't take long before my mind decided the highway was a place to avoid.Since then I've learned to "face my fears".For the most part it has worked.Sometimes it doesn't.

If I could completely understand it I would be cured.