Imagine this: It's 8pm on a Tuesday night and you've just settled down on your sofa to watch your favorite TV show. Five minutes into the show, your heart begins to pick up speed. Your palms break into a noticeable sweat and your head begins to swim. You're no longer paying attention to the screen; instead you're worrying about your child and thinking they may not get home safe. You may be worrying about your cat, who has not come in from outside yet. Your world is spinning out of control - literally - and you can do nothing to stop it. All you can do is wait. Wait and hope that it will be ending soon.

If you're a panic attack sufferer, you know how difficult and scary these situations are. Though you may feel helpless now, feel assured in knowing that you are not alone. 40 million Americans suffer from panic attacks and many strategies have been used to help them, and you, live a normal life. Before we explore those options though, one thing you will want to start thinking about is the cause of your panic attacks. When you first begin to experience an attack, notice where you are. Notice what's around you. Notice what thoughts are ripping through your mind at the time. Write down what ever you can remember at the end of your panic attack and try to piece together commonalities. Should you unfortunately have another attack, take note of the same things and find what factors are similar when experiencing the attack.

Once you begin finding the root cause, you can then focus on how to treat the attack. Here are some ways to do so:

1. Think Positively! If you find your mind wandering even the slightest over to a negative thought, change that thought. Though it may seem impossible, and though you may want to indulge in that thought, push a little harder. Visualize a happy scenario, or something humorous. Think of your family and friends and a good memory you have had with them. Prepare a list of positive thoughts in advance and bring it out when ever a negative thought strikes.

2. Get Physical. You may be surprised just how much a 30 minute walk a day may help. You may also want to try running, swimming, or playing sports. You will notice that your mood will change for the better as well.

3. Recite your ABC's and 123's. Many people who suffer from panic attacks swear by counting or saying the alphabet to help keep their mind occupied.

4. Practice Deep Breathing. You can find many tutorials online for free that will help you learn some deep breathing techniques. Deep breathing is also often coupled with relaxation visualization, which certainly comes in handy when needing to distract yourself from a potential panic attack.

5. Check your diet. Try cutting down on or eliminating caffeine, nicotine, and sugars. Processed foods have also been known to alter moods, so it's best to stick to natural, fresh foods as much as you possibly can.

Others swear by blurting out an emotion to try and stop the panic attack, or whistling, taking a nap, or reading. If you've tried one or some of the above with little-to-no success, you may want to try to change things a bit. Try going on a mini shopping spree, or perhaps indulge in a day at the spa. If you're having a good time and happy, panic attacks are likely to stay away. Sometimes even a pet can help relieve your stress, or some even forewarn their owners in advance when they sense a panic attack is coming.

This short article alone cannot cover all of the ways you can put an end to your panic attacks, but know that you are not alone. Seek help from your doctor or a counselor if the severity of your panic attacks increases even slightly. The sooner you work on fixing the problem, the sooner you can return to the happier, more confident you.