Panic attacks cause is unknown. Anyone, regardless of age, can get it without justification. Happy, healthy people have the same risk of panic attacks as depressed, sick people. Panic episodes are unpredictable. It can happen at home, when watching TV, while driving, shopping, walking, at work, etc. Even when sleeping, it can happen.

Depending on the person’s condition, symptoms, lifestyle, and how often the attacks happen, there may be different ways to treat them. Typically, however, treatment involves psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and/or medication. Other treatments that can be employed are meditation, breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, and herbal treatments.

Anti-anxiety drugs including Ativan, Xanax, and Klonopin ease panic attack symptoms. Benzodiazepines take 30 minutes to an hour to work. However, benzodiazepines are highly addictive and cause severe withdrawal symptoms. Antidepressants (Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro, and Celexa) must be used continuously for 6 months to a year before they take effect. During an attack, you can’t take antidepressants.

Because you never know when a panic attack will happen, these medicines should only be taken by people who have been diagnosed with panic disorder or who have them often.

Psychotherapy can cure panic episodes, panic disorder, agoraphobia, and other phobias. Cognitive-behavioral treatment reduces or eliminates panic attacks. CBT focuses on shifting a person’s negative to positive thinking pattern and how he reacts or behaves in emergency or attack-triggering situations.

Exposure therapy is a CTB-like treatment. This helps the guy conquer his fear by letting him face them safely. This strategy teaches people how to behave positively in fearful situations. This helps the patient realize that his anxieties are unfounded.

In many cases, medication or therapy alone is enough to completely treat the condition, but other cases require both treatment methods to effectively treat panic disorder.

Meditation, breathing exercises, and other ways to relax have been shown to make it less likely that someone will have another attack. They help calm the mind and relax the muscles. Regularly practicing these exercises and techniques strengthens the body’s relaxation response.

Natural herbs such as bacopin, ginkgo biloba, passionflower, St. John’s wort, hyperforin, 5HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan), chamomile, and rhodora, are equally effective since they have natural anti-stress properties. In some cases, using these herbs is sufficient enough to combat panic attacks. Many people also react positively using this kind of treatment.

Fresh leaves can be made into tea. Some are also available over the counter in oil, tincture, capsule, powder, and tea. The best thing about these natural herbs is that they do not carry any side effects as compared to mainstream anti-anxiety and anti-depressant prescription medications.