We are taught that which does not kill us makes us stronger, but is that always the case? With out acknowledgement and treatment, panic attacks can lead to serious disorders and phobias as well as seriously compromise to ones life. Once you suffer a panic attack you want to do all possible to prevent another one from occurring. So you may avoid situations that in any way resemble the one you were in while the panic attack happened. This situational avoidance in very common in panic attacks sufferers especially with ones already experiencing the more severe from or panic disorder, which is basically long term, frequent panic attacks.
As an example, someone may have a panic attack while driving and begin to avoid driving, prolonged fear and avoidance of driving may result in an actual phobia of doing it. This can be said for many, many things that a panic attack sufferer may see as a cause of panic attacks and eventually their quality of life will greatly diminish. In the worst case scenario of phobias people develop full blown agoraphobia, a fear of going outdoors or leaving home all together. They develop so many phobias that they believe staying inside is the only option to avoid all situations that may provoke an attack.

Aside from phobias other side effects of panic attacks are: a greater propensity to abuse drugs and alcohol, less time spent on hobbies friendships, more time spent in the emergency room, increased suicidal feelings and even a greater risk of suicide, decreased physical and emotional health, being less financially dependent and having trouble being very far from home. All these problems and many more can be experienced by someone suffering from panic attacks and are especially severe if panic disorder comes into play.
The treatments for these side effects are varied and include medication and therapy along with exercise and changes in habits and thinking processes. The easiest way is to avoid them from ever happening by getting treatment for your panic attacks right away and not waiting for them to progress to states of phobia or terrible depression. Be wary of some medications not carefully prescribed to you by a knowledgeable doctor as they have been known to actually make panic attacks worse or cause other symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms in these medicines are known to be especially harsh.
Try natural calming exercises and natural sleep aids to sleep at night and try deep breathing and anti anxiety to go on through your day and control your panic attack symptoms. If you need to see a therapist do not be ashamed, talking to someone about your problem can help you to overcome it and a therapist can help you with things that have worked with other patients and slowly get you on to the road of healing yourself. Medications if properly prescribed can also work to alleviate those symptoms, so you do not get to the point of phobias or further disorders.

Panic attacks are hard to understand for someone that has never experienced them, it is large a fear of the irrational, but that does not stop it from being a reality for a sufferer of the attacks. They themselves will know it is irrational, but that knowledge does not make the attack go away or help them feel any better. The most common mistake people make is trying to help a loved one or friend with an attack by shoulder shrugging nonchalance. Remember no matter how far from reality their fears are based they are still getting all the input from their brain that they are under attack and have something to fear.

So telling someone “what’s the big deal?” is the same as giving someone with a major snake phobia a pet boa constrictor to hold and then wondering why they run screaming out of the room. Your help needs to be actually helpful to merit the trust of someone suffering from panic attacks. One of the most basic easy things is just to talk to them in a calm and distracting way. Encourage them to breathe deeply and give them a remember-when story or even tell a joke. The brain can only hold out those feelings of panic so long and can cut them off if distracted by humor or happy thoughts.

Reassure them without critique. Simply letting someone know you are there and reminding them that these feelings will pass can be a huge help in calming them down. Fighting panic will only make them feel more of it so encourage calmness and relaxation. A human touch can also work wonders, so hold there hand or give them a pat on the back or even a back rub if you are comfortable enough with them. This will help to immediately center them and reduce the feelings on unreality and disassociation that they may be feeling.

It is important in being able to help that you learn as much about panic attacks as you can. You will never fully understand what it feels like, but you can get an idea of what exactly they are experiencing at the time of the attack and keep that in mind while helping them. It is not only at that time that they will need help also; many people live with the fear of when the next one is coming. Reassure them that no matter when it happens they can make it through and if you see them starting to stress change the subject. Do something fun to take their minds off it, also encourage them to get some kind of help, whether it is a full blown therapy session or to try a natural anxiety aid.

Do things at home that will decrease stress and anxiety, so as this will not cause and trigger more attacks or worsening of the symptoms. If you are involved in a relationship with some one who has this condition, light some candles and play some low key music, it will be both romantic and helpful at the same time.