Many of us suffer from panic attacks and feel out of control. If you're in this situation, you're not alone, and you don't have to be helpless in the face of anxiety. There are non-medication based ways to overcome your panic attacks. While they can be an extremely unpleasant experience, you can learn to deal with panic attacks.

The first step is identifying what's causing the attack. Anxiety and panic attacks are based on fear, and there will be some trigger for them. Figuring out what it is will help you deal with the attack itself. Pay attention to what you're thinking during a panic attack - the thoughts you're having will help you understand why the attack is occurring. Once you know what kinds of situations act as triggers, you can avoid them, making your life much easier.

It can be hard to stay clear headed during a panic attack. After all, the symptoms of anxiety are all ones that happen when we're in danger. However, light headedness and a rapid heartbeat don't actually mean you're in trouble. You have to try to quiet fearful thoughts, so that they don't cycle into something worse. Trying to think rationally and talk yourself through these frightening feelings can help you calm down.

Of course, prevention is always the best medicine. If you can keep yourself from having an attack in the first place, that's far better than having to stop one that's already going on. Discovering ways to calm yourself down and keep yourself from cycling are important methods of preventing a panic attack. Talking with a trained therapist can help you discover ways to counter negative thoughts and worries with positive thinking, and how to stop yourself from spiraling out of control.

It's necessary to develop confidence that you can overcome your panic attacks. Without the knowledge that you can do it, things get much harder - and you can overcome your panic attacks, with the right combination of behavioral changes and changes in how you think.

There may be a chemical component in your panic attacks, as well. Have your thyroid levels checked - they may be related to your attacks. Your doctor can tell you if this is a problem, and prescribe medication to help you deal with it. If your thyroid isn't a problem, then you've ruled out one possible source and can move on to dealing with the attacks themselves.

Overcoming panic attacks is a long process, and it can seem difficult at first. However, things get easier over time, and once you learn to isolate the cause of the attack and not let your anxiety take you over, you'll have a lot more luck. The first and biggest step is learning that you don't have to be ruled by your worries.

Remember that you can see a professional without having to take medication, and that trained counselors may have a lot to offer when it comes to behavioral control. Get your family and friends to help you, too. Having others who know what to do and can talk you through your anxieties may help stave off another attack. Panic attacks don't have to control your life - instead, you have the ability to control them.