Panic attacks are something that many of us experience from time to time. They range in severity from panicking over losing the car keys to panicking because you’ve lost track of your child. These are perfectly natural responses to situations of this type, but what about panic attacks that occur when there is nothing to warrant one? There are many ways to overcome panic attacks like this but first we should understand what they are.

In order to overcome panic attacks you need to fully understand what triggers them and what feeds them. A person that has severe arachnophobia would be horrified if you put them in a small cage and dropped an African Tarantula in with them. However once you removed the spider their fear would go away and they would return to normal. This is how panic works normally.

When it works abnormally however people can have panic attacks for no reason. The most common form of this is the feeling that the walls are closing in all around you. Keep in mind that panic attacks are different from anxiety attacks. Anxiety attacks are immense feelings of dread over something that can lead to panic attacks if they aren’t stopped quickly.

Emotional scarring, mental trauma, and traumatic physical events in a person’s life can also cause a panic attack. However if there is neither recognizable cause nor any object for the panic to fixate on you simply have an overwhelming feeling of being panicked. If this is caused by a lack of a particular hormone or some other physical abnormality you can talk to your doctor and figure out how to treat it.

However if it is brought on by something else such as mental or emotional trauma the only way to stop it is to face that trauma. This can be hard to do at times because it requires a lot of inward reflection and examining of ones life that most people do not want to do. However when compared with the physical side effects of repeated panic attacks it is preferable.

While the attack itself causes no damage it does kick several automatic systems in your body into overdrive. Panic is closely associated with fear of being hurt or injured so when your body begins to panic the flight or fight system kicks in. This system floods your body with adrenaline in preparation for a fight or to get away quickly. Normally this isn’t harmful but if a person suffers severe panic attacks several times a day it can put a strain on your bodies cardiovascular, respiratory, and endocrine systems.

Add to the fact that people that suffer from these attacks often have trouble sleeping and their bodies can become worn out very quickly. One way to prevent these attacks from becoming severe is to remember to stay calm, breathe slowly, and breathe deeply. Do everything you can to keep from being excited or hyped up and the attack will be much less severe.

Learning to overcome panic attacks isn’t an easy task but it can be done. Finding your fear, facing it, and eventually conquering it will at the very least lessen the strength of these attacks. When a panic attack does strike you remember to breathe calmly and stay in control in order to keep the attack from controlling you.

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