If you are unfortunate enough to suffer from panic attacks, you know the significant impact they can have on your life.
There are a lot of methods discussed on the internet for preventing panic attacks, and a lot are linked to breathing techniques, or some kind of natural medication.
Like most people, you will probably find that you want more than just treating the symptoms, because it does not provide a permanent solution.
To find a permanent cure, we need to look at the underlying relationship between the physiological and the physical.
We need to work on treating the very source of panic attacks, and not just treating the symptoms.
I was quite surprised with the intensity that the symptoms can reach.
I have come across case studies in which patients actually felt like they were experiencing a heart attack.
In other cases, they were experiencing problems with breathing, to the point where they were convinced that they would faint.
Let's take a quick look at why the body responds physically with such intensity.
An underlying fear or phobia is usually the root cause of the actual anxiety trigger.
But after experiencing the intense symptoms, like the sensations of being unable to breathe or even of a heart attack, a fear of the panic attack symptoms itself develops.
As you can see, this becomes a vicious cycle, where the anticipation of a panic attack alone can actually trigger the symptoms, prior to being faced with the phobia or fear object which previously caused the symptoms.
The physical symptoms are caused by the body's natural "fight or flight" system being activated.
Normally, this would happen only in actual life threatening situations, to enable you to perform the necessary life saving actions - flee, or fight for survival.
For your mind to decide that your safety is under threat, the fear object should be both present and potent.
Let's illustrate this with the example of a well-known poisonous snake in front of you.
It is right in front of you, so it is present.
It is poisonous, and can kill you, therefore it is also potent.
This is a situation where it is normal for the body's fight or flight response to activate, for example the adrenaline and increased heart rate.
Your life is truly in danger.
But if you start getting the same physical response from looking at a picture of that same snake later, you are starting to develop a phobia - the threat is potent, but not actually present.
The same goes for a non-poisonous snake in font of you - it is present, but not potent.
Still, because of prior experience, you may still get the physical responses associated with the fight or flight reaction.
This is basic example, but all panic attacks are rooted in this principle.
Clearly, the true answer to preventing panic attacks lies in eliminating the incorrect physical response, by preventing the mind from confusing legitimate fear objects with false ones.
Once this type of technique is mastered, you will be able to stop panic attacks in their tracks before they start.
You are effectively turning the tables on the negative spiral.
Once you have some success in decreasing the severity of an oncoming attack, your confidence will increase significantly.
So the next time, you will be even more effective.
These kind of techniques are becoming very popular as an alternative to medication.