re: who else here suffers from panic attacks

First and foremost, acknowledge it for what it is. Do not do as I did and deny that stress can make you feel as if you are dying. I spent several years denying it was stress and continued the attacks while I searched for a physical cause rather than admitting it was mental. Alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine all have an effect on panic attacks. Over indulge and it will cause or lead to an attack. Some have advised to take drugs to combat the causes of a panic attack. Antidepressants are not for everyone. They had the opposite effect on me. Many bad thoughts while on them. I quit taking them, learned I wasn't superman and stress effected me. Once I accepted this I learned how to mentally train myself when I felt an attack coming on. I literally told myself, "quit being a pussy, this is in your mind". Haven't had a serious panic attack since I learned this. Yes, I can still feel them trying to come on but an prevent it.