One of the toughest things to do if you have any form of anxiety disorder is to control panic attacks when they happen.
Panic attacks typically strike out of the blue, often when you least expect it.
And this can make dealing with them very difficult, since you have no warning and no time to prepare any kind of strategy.
A good way to control panic attacks is to have a solid plan in place ahead of time, and you do this by preparing at a time when you feel relaxed and when you can think clearly.
Since you know your body and mind better than anyone else, you are the best person to come up with your own strategy.
You'll also be very intimately aware of what happens to you during a panic attack - what symptoms you experience, how you feel, what worsens an attack, what eases one.
So based on everything you know from your previous attacks, put together a simple little plan to put into motion the next time you have a panic attack.
If you're at home when this happens, perhaps part of your plan will involve putting on some music, doing something physical, a distraction of some kind.
Whatever works for you, that's the key.
If you're not at home when an attack strikes then you may well need a different plan.
Perhaps one that involves taking yourself to a certain location where you'll feel safe.
Perhaps it will involve stopping somewhere quiet until the attack passes.
Again, you know yourself and your attacks better than anyone, so you'll know what's best.
They key here is not really what your plan includes.
The key is having the plan there as a safety net, and knowing you can call on it during an attack when your mind won't be clear enough to find a plan on the spot.
Having a plan at the ready like this can make it much easier to control panic attacks when they strike.