What is a panic attack? Have you ever - just out of the blue - felt almost completely overcome by terror, both physically and mentally? If so, you may have been experienced a panic attack.
It has been described as a feeling of doom or unreality, fear that one may be experiencing a heart attack, mental breakdown, or about to die.
Other symptoms can include: heart begins racing uncontrollably, hands or feet tingle, body begins sweating, feeling of dizziness, nausea, chest pain, inability to breathe, and faintness.
A panic attack can be a single, isolated event or part of an ongoing disorder of repeated panic attacks.
The events usually peak in about 10 minutes, though it may take much longer before symptoms fully subside.
What is the difference between a panic attack and panic disorder? An isolated event is a panic attack but when these events begin to repeat themselves, it has become a panic disorder.
6 million of Americans are believed to suffer from panic disorder, women twice as often as men and it occurs primarily in adults and young adults.
Left untreated, panic disorder can easily grow into a disabling illness, affecting every aspect of a person's life.
Perhaps one of the most debilitating characteristics of a panic attack is the fear that develops of suffering a recurrence.
As a result, the person may prefer to avoid places where panic attacks have occurred in the past.
This could explain why many panic attack sufferers report a fear of driving.
Having had at least one panic attack while driving, they are so afraid of a recurrence that they are unable to get behind the wheel.
Driving often elicits a feeling of vulnerability or of being trapped: we are dependent on not only ourselves for our safety, but other drivers, road conditions, the car itself, and other things which are out of our control.
The awareness of these issues while driving leads to panic attack in some people.
Having been in an accident, having to drive on relatively unsafe highways or streets, and having a loved one in an accident, can all contribute to a buildup of anxiety before ever leaving the relative safety of home.
What can I do if I start to feel a panic attack while driving? Fortunately, most panic attacks have auras or signs and symptoms well before the full blown symptoms of the attack occur.
These signals can be different for different people but usually consist of unusual perception of oneself in the environment, a vague feeling of impending doom, inability to concentrate on surroundings, things looking somewhat unfamiliar, and many others.
You must find out what your body's warning signals or auras are and then act on them right away.
If anything seems to unsettle you while driving, immediately pull off the road at the nearest safe location! This cannot be stressed enough.
If you need to be somewhere, pull off and call those expecting you, so you can focus on preventing a panic attack.
Once off the road in a safe place (never pull off the highway onto the shoulder), you can begin to calm your body and mind.
Steps to take when off the road:

1. Take deep breaths from the belly and let them out slowly.
   Note: if this makes the panic worse, you may have hyperventilation panic disorder.
   In this case breathing normally into a paper bag can help regulate co2 that is triggering bodily sensations that in turn trigger panic.
   It can be very effective for these types of panic attacks.
   If you find that it helps you, keep a paper sack in the car, or keep one handy at all times.
   
2. Close your eyes and focus on releasing stress as you breathe.
   Focus your mind on trying to purposely slow your heart rate.
   Intensely focus on lowering heart rate and nothing else.
   You can close your eyes while you slowly breathe in and out.
   
3. Tell yourself that it's just anxiety and not something happening to your body that is dangerous to you.
   Some of the symptoms of panic attack feel like a heart attack and this leads people to tell themselves they are in danger.
   The mind naturally goes further into fight or flight erroneously.
   The slow deep breathing gives your body the opposite message: that the lion is not chasing you anymore and you can breathe slowly as if relaxed.
   This tricks the mind and body to think there is no threat (which there is not but trying to talk oneself out of that is futile without the breathing and other measures).
   
4. Use acupressure points to stop an anxiety attack.
   One area that continually works to tell the nervous system to calm down is located at the back of the neck just under the occipital lobe of the skull.
   There is a device that can be used to put pressure on these still points so that the weight of the head is resting on two fingers at these points.
   This allows the person to lie down while applying pressure here as long as needed.
   It really works wonders and is applied by massage therapists in relaxation massages on a regular basis.
   These points are on either side of the spinal cord where they exit the foramen magnum (the hole in the skull where the spinal cord comes through.
   ) You can lie down in your car with your head on one of the acupressure point devices for as long as you need.
   Here is a description of these acupressure points:
   • Heavenly Pillar (B10) Use one finger from each hand to press each side of the neck about one inch below the base of your skull.
     These are your trapezius muscles which run down both sides of the neck.
     Press firmly for as long as is comfortable for your arms.
     
   • You can also go right under the skull for the same benefit -- whatever points work for you.
     
5. Have a CD in your car that uses techniques to stop/prevent panic attacks, ready to play the moment you pull off the road.
   There are some excellent CDs that walk you through the process of breathing and visual imagery to prevent a panic attack from becoming full-blown.
   Having these in your auto may make you feel more secure, as they take the thinking out of the process and allow you to follow a guide.
   You may get relief just from knowing you are being walked through the relaxation instead of having to go it alone.
   
6. Medication and new medicines on the horizon.
   Whatever you're feeling about medication, if you feel you are too overwhelmed by panic, just having some with you can relieve your fears and help you cope using other methods.
   If, however, your panic attack does not abate and actually worsens, taking some doctor-prescribed medication just for this purpose may help you feel in control and stop the panic attack.
   There are new medications on the horizon for anxiety and panic that do not have the dependency issues associated with benzodiazepines, currently the most commonly prescribed medications for panic attacks.
   Benzodiazepines, such as Xanax, work to stop or lessen panic attacks, but they have side effects and problems with long-term use.
   That there will shortly be panic attack medication with very few side-effects is another reason to hang in there and keep working on finding solutions that work for you.
   
7. If you are in any degree of panic/anxiety, do not attempt to drive home.
   Call a supportive person to come get you if you cannot drive back.
   It is not worth the risk driving home again if you feel any anxiety whatsoever.
   It is not weakness if you need to call someone to come get you.
   It's the smart thing to do.
   You can get your car later.
   

Whatever you do, know that you are not alone, that your fear is real, and that many people understand how debilitating panic attacks can be.
If you need support and ideas, don't hesitate to speak with a cognitive behavioral therapist who has had success in treating panic attacks/panic disorder.
There are also support groups for this disorder that encourage one to keep confronting the fear and minimizing its effects on your life.