Overcoming panic attacks is not the same thing as knowing how to deal with them while you’re in the middle of an attack (please refer to “4 Steps to Stop Panic Attacks”). In the case of the latter, it’s more like “fire fighting” rather than a long term plan to slowly and surely work towards a cure or prevention.

While it might seem that nothing is more difficult or important than being able to stop an attack in its tracks, as a former victim who has recovered from this mental disorder I can assure you, training yourself to control your panic breakdowns is a lot tougher. Yes, you heard me right, it’s all in your mind.

You see, once you’ve had a panic attack you instinctively develop a fear of the event reoccurring. You try to avoid, often subconsciously, any place/person/circumstance that you associate with the first panic attack. For instance, if your first panic attack occurred at work (which is fairly common, since most people are stressed at their jobs) you might feel unwilling to go to work. Most likely, that’s not an option for you so then you start worrying about your performance at work, which leads to greater anxiety. This becomes a dangerous cycle, which hastens the chances of a panic attack.

So how do we break this vicious cycle? The following steps form the key to a successful recovery plan:

• Acknowledge the problem is psychological – Without your rational mind accepting the fact that it is fighting against itself, it is almost impossible to be free from the grips of your subconscious. Once you do so, you will find the will to break free.
• Find a support group – Get your friends and family to help you through the process. Make sure they understand the stakes involved, have them reading this. Better yet, find someone who has been through it and has overcome the obstacles to guide you through the process. It would be rewarding for the both of you, trust me. Who knows, you might eventually be motivated enough to be a mentor yourself.
• Improve your lifestyle – Start eating healthy, exercise regularly (if you don’t already do so), stop smoking or drinking excessively. Try to take up yoga, mediation, self-hypnosis or other relaxation techniques according to your taste. The point of all this is to eliminate any excuse your mind can conjure up for your weakness in dealing with stress/fear. “I can’t do this because I’m overweight/overstressed/not fit enough/not strong enough” – these are precisely the type of negative thinking that will defeat your purpose. Stop them in their tracks by ensuring they have no place in your life.
• Build your self esteem – Set goals and targets, and small milestones along the way. Reward yourself whenever you accomplish one of them. You will slowly accumulate enough self confidence to banish the thought of fear and failure.

If all these sound too daunting to achieve, remember that others have succeeded overcoming panic attacks, occasionally with fewer resources that are at your disposal. You will find details of each of the steps and more at this site. Use it to gain maximum leverage and take control of your life.
I am a former panic attacks sufferer, and I never thought I would be able to overcome my panic attacks, but after years of pain, I was finally able to totally eliminate panic attacks and gain my life back.

To discover how I did so, download my free report “No Panic No More”