Hello dr, i'm just wondering how can i over come my anxiety without medication. i had an attack earlier today felt like i couldn't catch my breath or gonna have a heart attack, is this normal? thanks

Meditation,Yoga: Calm down concentrate ,meditate think good calm quite area to think about. think bout a place that take you away in your mind and be peaceful. If you pray go to the location that help you in the past. close your eyes and get to that place in your mind relax, deep slow breath think of happy events in your life

Panic attacks can: come out of the blue. They are treatable by a mental health professional who specializes in treating folks w/them. The breathing and heart concerns are normal reactions. Please see your doc to rule out medical conditions and then a clinical psychologist who can teach you strategies to deal w/this effectively. Peace and good health.

Therapy?: Have you yet tried any form of psychotherapy? Typically, the optimal combination of things to treat emotional issues such as panic attacks, which are common is medication (which, on your best day, is supposed to take the edge off symptoms) but the real gruntwork takes place in psychotherapist's consulting room.

Panic Attack?: May need medication for panic attacks. General advice is relaxation techniques,as well as deep breathing exercises to help control physical and emotional responses to anxiety. Also need to ask yourself what you are really anxious about and is there anything you can do to change or control whatever it may be. Also go easy on stimulants like caffeine, etc, and get adequate sleep. Good luck!

Get help: You should consult a mental health professional who specializes in treating anxiety or panic attacks. There are a number of treatment protocols, with an without medication, that are highly successful in treating this condition. Don't delay. Contact someone now!

Panic is treatable..: I have worked with many people who have had panic 'attacks' (episode/disorder). Some meds can help acutely or preemptively, but talk therapy can offer long term recovery without the side effects of meds. Both cognitive behavior therapy and insight oriented therapy (different approaches) can dramatically reduce or eliminate panic disorder. Find a reputable therapist in your area. It is treatable.

No other causes !: being female and 30 yr old your chances of having heart problems is very low but given the shift in modern life style and food habits it is always important to make sure that your risk factors are low. If you never had panic attacks before I suggest to be evaluated for orher medical causes that can cause this. See an internist. Yoga, meditation and breathing exercises help a lot with anxiety.

Anxiety: I most recommend EMDR Therapy for faster resolution of anxiety. there are also a number of extremely effective "distraction" or "grounding" skills we teach to clients to rapidly slow down the fight or flight response. If you happen to be military please check your local MTF. I work at Travis.

Yes: That response is typical for anxiety/panic attack. Try very deep breathing, making sure to expand the diaphragm muscle by inhaling all the way into the belly. Do that about 10 times and see if it helps lessen the sensations of shortness of breath. Simultaneously, tell yourself that this is just anxiety, not a serious threat to your ability to breathe, and that it will pass in a few minutes.