Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder

You may be able to decrease the number of panic attacks due to panic disorder and reduce the severity of your symptoms when an attack does occur by:

• Reducing anxiety by doing tension-reducing activities and lowering the amount of stress in your life.
• Doing relaxation exercises which involve 10 to 20 minutes of deep breathing and muscle relaxation daily.

  Stress management: Breathing exercises for relaxation

  Stress management: Relaxing your mind and body

  Stress management: Doing guided imagery to relax

  Stress management: Practicing yoga to relax

• Changing how you think can change how you feel—and that can reduce your anxiety. For more information on changing how you think, see:

  Anxiety: Using positive thinking.

  Positive thinking: Stopping unwanted thoughts.

  Positive Thinking With Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy.

• Getting regular physical exercise that gets your breathing and heart rate up several times a week.
• Restricting alcohol and caffeine (or eliminating these altogether).
• Joining a self-help and support group such as one organized by the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA).
• Eating a balanced diet, which includes eating fresh, healthy foods and limiting your intake of foods that are high in sugar and fat.

Support for family members

When a person has panic attacks, that person's entire family is affected. If someone in your family has panic attacks, you may feel frustrated, overworked (because you have to take over his or her responsibilities), or socially isolated because the person restricts family activities. These feelings are normal. Family therapy, a type of counseling that involves the entire family, may be helpful for all family members. For more information, see:

How can I help someone who is having a panic attack?