First-time panic attacks can be distressing because you may dread future episodes. Future attack fear produces ongoing fear and tension, making it hard to relax. When the disease isn’t treated, it might develop into phobic avoidance, where you avoid locations, circumstances, gatherings, and events where emergency help isn’t easily available, or having an episode can be embarrassing.

When taken to an extreme, this condition may result in agoraphobia, when you start to avoid a lot of the things you normally do. Take into account these suggestions to prevent this:

1. See a physician. Racing hearts, chest pain, heavy breathing, copious sweating, excitement, etc., are similar to various physiological and psychological problems. Seeking a doctor’s diagnosis will rule out other causes of worry. Describe your symptoms, when the assault happened, and its severity. Your doctor may do tests and ask about your medical history (e.g., a urine test, a blood test, a drug screen, etc.).

2. See a therapist trained to treat this condition. You’re not nuts (people who go to a therapist are not crazy). Therapists help you handle your emotions and prevent future attacks. Do not put off help. Untreated panic attacks might lead to worse complications. Your therapist may use CBT and ET to help you process your thoughts.

3. Determine what caused the attack. There may be a “pattern” to some panic attacks, such as a particular activity, thought, period, or person you are with when the attack occurs. You can use these to identify and eliminate later symptoms.

4. Learn some relaxation techniques you can practice at home or while out. Music, meditation, yoga, and breathing techniques are not only helpful in reducing the symptoms during the actual attack but also in strengthening your body’s relaxation response.

5. Do not add more fear. Absorbing all the fears and other negative thoughts that come with an anxiety attack only adds to more fear, which worsens the negative impact even further. Instead, recognize that you are afraid and make it work to your advantage.

6. Healthy living (regular exercise, a balanced diet, and enough sleep). Studies show that working out for 30 minutes three to five times a week reduces stress and keeps attacks from happening again. A balanced diet preserves body chemistry and nutritional levels. Sleeping 8 hours a day restores the body, mind, and muscles.

7. Eliminate any needless tension. Avoiding people, events, and things that stress you out will help lower your risk of future attacks because panic attacks and stress are closely related.

8. Learn as much as you can about panic attacks. You may find a lot of information on the disease online. Reading books, health magazines, and online articles about panic attacks will give you the information you need to deal with any bad effects they might have.