Panic attacks

Your heart is racing and your mind is going a million miles a minute. You’re sweating, shaking, and feeling intense fear. You might feel like you can’t breathe, and even like you need to go to the hospital. Yep, this is a panic attack—a fairly common problem, but still one of the scariest, most disruptive things that can happen to you. Stress and anxiety, of course, can trigger panic attacks, but sometimes they seem to come out of the blue. What can you do? The best way to prevent a panic attack is to address the underlying stress and anxiety that contributes to it. Try yoga, breathwork, therapy, or the Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRS) to help you calm your nervous system and put things in perspective. Many herbs and nutritional supplements have been shown to be effective against anxiety when used alone or in combination, including amino acids (such as combinations of L-lysine and L-arginine), passionflower, magnesium, and kava. St. John's Wort, often prescribed for depression, is not recommended for anxiety and panic attacks. It can be really unsettling to have a panic attack, especially the first time, but there’s absolutely no reason to feel embarrassed about it. Lots of people have panic attacks, and it’s most important to focus on finding ways to cope that work for you. You can also lean on your WanaFam and other supportive people in your life. If you’re open about your experience with panic attacks, you may find that other people you know and love are in the same boat!