re: How many people here deal with anxiety/panic attacks on a daily basis?

Sometimes heart rhythm issues are mistaken for panic attacks. Basically the pacemaker in your heart short circuits and your heart beats out of your chest (called PSVTs). It has a rapid onset and can be triggered by dehydration (alcohol) fatigue and a couple of other random things. They can last a few minutes and make you feel like you are dying. They get diagnosed sometimes when people go to ER and have the panic attack while on the EKG machine.

Next time you get them try deep coughing, massaging your carotid artery or bear down like you are going to the bathroom. If that helps it to go away you may have this issue and not a "mental" panic attack.

Check out PSVT and Panic Attack on Google.