If you ask the question, "how do I treat a panic attack?" the chances are you expect to be told to go to the doctor, where you will have pills thrown at you to calm you down.
When you feel an attack coming on, simply take a pill and the awful feelings will recede.
Now this is absolutely correct.
This will happen.
The feelings of rising panic, sweating, stomach-churning.
Quick! Grab a pill and swallow it.
You'll probably have been put on levellers too, so for the rest of the day I expect you'll be fine.
The problem is, it's only papering over the cracks.
You're not cured.
Stop taking your pills and back the attacks will come.
No, what you need is something permanent.
There are five non-invasive procedures that can help you a great deal.
To begin with, if you find yourself in a situation where an attack suddenly comes upon you, simply leave the environment.
Yes, it may be embarrassing, but when you've stabilized, you can always explain your conduct.
Obviously, the best thing is not to put yourself into such a situation.
So the first three treatments are preventive.
The first one is Visualization.
This is deep relaxation.
Lie on your bed and listen to sounds you find particularly calming; the wind, rivers running, the ocean.
Anything at all that makes you feel relaxed.
You may prefer the sound of children playing, clocks, or a clock ticking, (this can be particularly mesmeric), but whatever winds you right down.
At the same time, visualize your ideal place.
The place where, if you had your choice, you'd like to be.
The second action is to simply live a healthy and sensible lifestyle.
Keep away from stimulants such as coffee, chocolate, smoking and alcohol.
Try to go to bed at a sensible hour and exercise a reasonable amount.
The third method is complementary therapy.
This covers massage, Shiatsu, Acupuncture, and Aromatherapy, as well as Tai-na.
This last-named treatment isn't quite so common.
It's a form of Chinese manipulation therapy and used together with acupuncture, Chinese herbalism and Tai-chi.
It brings the body to balance by using martial arts principles.
Fourth, we have our old friend, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to re-programme the mind's re-action to the attacks.
Number Five is the use of medication, but of a herbal nature.
Keep away from drugs.
I suggest a visit to a good, reputable herbalist could help you no end.
There's one further approach.
Psychologist Neil Fiore, Ph.
D.
, who uses the desensitization approach.
He asks patients to place themselves mentally in situations where they've experienced their greatest panic; the grocery store, on an aircraft, in a large gathering, then asks them to hold the image for thirty seconds.
The next time, they're asked to hold it for thirty five seconds, etc.
Each time, they're told to imagine what's the worst thing that can possibly happen.
The grocery clerk's hardly likely to assault you, nor is the woman behind you in the queue going to hit you over the head with her trolley.
The one flaw in this treatment is if the patient tells the doctor that if they're on an aeroplane, the wing might fall off.
Extremely unlikely, but a difficult argument to counter.
However, those first five examples should help you a great deal provided, as always, you practice them assiduously