A panic attack happens suddenly and for no apparent reason.
The person is gripped with a sudden fear so intense that he loses control.
His heart palpitates, he sweats profusely, his chest hurts, and he feels like he is being smothered.
Some people say it feels like having a heart attack.
Others report it feels like they are about to die.
It might be normal to experience a panic attack or two in your whole lifetime.
But if it happens numerous times, and if you live in fear of having another attack, then this is likely already a medical condition called panic disorder.
It should not be dismissed as just stress or nerves, or a temporary condition due to some intensely disturbing life event that might be present at the moment.
Professional medical attention is now needed.
The usual course of treatment is medications plus behavioral modification.
Medications are usually aimed at just the symptoms and not the root of the disorder itself.
They also help reduce the person's anxiety over experiencing another attack.
However, they do have serious side effects, especially when not taken exactly as prescribed.
Hence one should be wary of medications, and one should not trust that they would successfully treat the condition.
You can rely more on behavioral modification, which is natural, effective and safe.
Behavioral modification involves going through what psychologists call Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
This is counseling that aims to transform how one thinks and behaves.
Negative, unhealthy thought patterns are modified to become more positive and empowering.
The idea is to change or remove the thinking pattern that bring about the panic attack, in order to eliminate the behavior that is the anxiety and the panic attack itself.