What can you do about panic attacks beside medication?!

What can you do about panic attacks beside medication?

I am not depressed. I am fine in my life most the time. when things get to stressfull i have a panic attack. to those who don;t know what it feels like, its sorta like i might have a heart attack. i am 25 years old. I have told my husband that i may have this for the rest of my life. he says there should be something else you can do besides take medication. i told him that i didn;t think so. ANYONE

A panic attack is a 'false alarm', like when a fire alarm goes off by itself. You can learn to recognize it and calm it down. When you have a panic attack, you'll notice that your breathing becomes fast and shallow - that actually increases anxiety. So, if you begin to feel anxious, practice focusing on your breathing, breathing deeply and slowly, maybe even counting your breath in to a slow count of four, and out to a slow count of four. That tells your body to relax. Combine that with thinking about a relaxing and pleasant experience in your life - take yourself there as vividly as possible, remembering what you saw, heard, and felt. Focusing your mind on that will take the energy away from the false alarm and help you calm down. If the fear tries to intrude, do a reality check - is there anything really dangerous around? Remind yourself of your resources - you can call a friend, you can leave the situation, you can go to the Ladies Room and take a break!
Meditation and/or prayer is wonderful to lower anxiety. Exercise also helps calm the mind and body.
Last of all, remember that you are not your fear. You, your consciousness and your desire to overcome fear, are stronger than fear. You can overcome this, and, in the process, you will gain more self-knowledge and a greater ability to be present in your life. Go for it!