Who here deals with panic attacks? What do you do or not do when you’re having one? My girlfriend deals with them and I want to be able to help when she’s in the middle of one. I’m googling it also, but I thought some firsthand knowledge would be invaluable.
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Unless you have a PRN benzo on hand there is very little you can do.
Concentrate on your breathing, deep steady breaths and try to focus on something pleasant. Otherwise you just have to wait it out, it will pass, but sometimes it takes hours. They are not pleasant.
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i used to get panic attacks for a couple years, what i did was take a long warm bath and drink fresh catnip tea to calm my heart rate. i grow my own catnip. eventually my panic attacks went away. my method kinda worked but didn’t always do the trick.
i didnt overdue it on the catnip, i only partook when i was having a panic attack, i didn’t want to develop a tolerance. catnip doesnt work on everybody, just like cats i guess, but it is effective in calming down when i need it.
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Try holding a piece of ice in your hand. 
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I used to plead my doctor for more klonopin
And I lived in a panic attack for a couple years
Deep breathing, benzos, avoid stressful situations like driving especially in the rain or night or on the highway.
Assure her everything is going to be ok
It may feel like your brain is on the verge of a blackout. But it keeps chugging along. Just gotta convince yourself it’s ok.
Medication saved me. Do you know if she’s always had panic attacks or an event triggered it???
I didn’t always have panic attacks. An event triggered it. I have reversed them no more panic Attacks with time
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A panic attack is caused when the amygdala goes into hyperdrive. The amygdala is part of your brain. Tell your gf to read about the science behind panic attacks. Just knowing it’s a brain problem as opposed to an actual external problem causing it can help. When you understand something the fear subsides.
Edit: So whatever your gf is panicking about, for example a test at school. The test at school is just a piece of paper on the desk, its harmless. Tell your gf to tell herself, okay, my amygdala is in hyperdrive and that is why I am feeling the way I am feeling, and it will pass. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can really help with anxiety like this.
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It’s an ongoing anxiety thing she deals with but there’s trauma in there, too. She isn’t able to see a pdoc right now but we hope to in the future. I’ve had a panic attack before and I know what helped me. I just wanted to get other people’s advice so I’ll be better equipped in the future.
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I take some Klonopin when I lose control.
Pacing also helps some.
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I had a severe panic attack that I didn’t know would develop into a panic disorder…after I got the disorder I couldn’t leave the house without my mother…I learned in therapy to focus on ignoring the fear associated with panic and I soon learned I could overcome my panic and anxiety…you don’t need benzos…no sir…you just need to get her to go to therapy to learn how to control the fear…I am anxiety free now.
You’re pretty spot on in your post. I had a terrible anxiety attack this afternoon. I finally had to take my PRN (klonopin) after breathing exercises and ice on the back of my head/neck didn’t help. I feel a little better now but you are right that one just has to wait it out and it is very unpleasant. After 30+ years of extreme anxiety, you’d think I would get used to it, but it is a terrible experience every time it happens. 
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Try supplement Inositol and ltheanine
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