Good advice! Glad it works for you.

I would like to mention though, that for some people, breathing exercises can bring on an attack. It's all about what works for you.

Mild and deadly? Some contradiction in terms there...
My attacks are of the 'Help me, I'm having a heart attack!' kind. I have suffered from these since 1976/77 and no trigger has yet been identified, no treatment works except treating the symptoms with benzodiazepines (alprazolam as preventative; bromazepam, clonazepam or diazepam are fastest acting so are useful to have around for DURING an episode.) They tried to replace the benzos with SSRIs but they only made me 100 times worse and made me totally anxious 100% of the time, bringing on daily panic attacks, sometimes twice or thrice. I've been through the mill; self-medicating to a stupid degree when I felt my medication was not sufficient, leading to a spell in rehab. Benzo withdrawals are so dreadful that I was hallucinating, feeling electric shocks, and being under the impression that I was merely a cartoon character - AND not getting a wink of sleep for 21 days solid. Madness.
Mild yes, deadly, no - I never knew anyone die of a panic attack, even though I myself can not be convinced, during an attack, that I am NOT dying. And all the while being quite aware that it IS 'only' a panic attack. It's one of those things. You KNOW you're not kicking that bucket, but nothing and nobody can tell you that you're not. 12-18mg bromazepam later, given 10-20 minutes, and I'm fine again. It is benzodiazepine WITHDRAWALS that are deadly. Many, many people who took less than I have died trying to come off benzos without the proper medical supervision.
The beauty of bromaz, best brand LEXILIUM by Alkaloid/Roche, is that, though one of the weaker benzos according to the tables, it gives you the fastest effect of them all and the finest calm sedation in the hour or two after the episode. My prescribed dosage of 2.5mg alprazolam/day is just not enough to keep me completely free of these dreadfully disabling attacks. And my doctor wants to reduce that even further, even though I have told her straight that course of action is a recipe for disaster because all I will do, and I KNOW this, is to order up 500 x 2mg alprazolam from the internet to ensure a lasting supply (and the temptation to over-indulge again.) My rehab for poly-substance dependence advised total abstinence from all mind-altering substances; however, that appears not to be an option for me, and I use 80mg OxyContin, (I have a spondylo-arthritis), 1050mg carisoprodol, 2.5mg (often more and a few other benzos too) alprazolam/day, and one or two nights a week I'll need 15mg Flormidal (midazolam) or 1-2mg Rohydorm (flunitrazepam) for sleep. The Rohydorm or Rohypnol, whichever is prescribed, has the great advantage of negating the need for a morning alprazolam due to its very long half-life for a hypnotic drug. I find that although midazolam gives a quicker onset of sleep, flunitrazepam gives a better QUALITY of sleep and the benefit just mentioned.

DEADLY they may feel, but I haven't succumbed to an attack in 30 years now; it's merely the phobia, thanatophobia, that this condition of mine gives me. Just don't ever try to stop using this class of drug suddenly, or deadly it may well be.
Gaucho

You summed up exactly my experience of panic attacks. You know what it IS but nothing can dissuade you from feeling you are about to die / go mad etc.

Every time I have to fly I am reduced to a quivering mess. I kept failing my driving test because I could not focus on what the instructor was telling me to do as I was expecting death round every corner. At my worst, I cannot walk down the street in case I fall off the pavement and go under a car, or maybe a chimney will fall on my head, or someone will stab me in passing.

Sometimes a panic attack will come on for no discernible reason at all. My heart will flutter, my breathing will be suspended and I feel as though I am about to pass out - and then the whole thing plays itself out to its conclusion: panting, choking, cold sweat, curling up into a ball, afraid to look at anyone, legs like jelly, pins and needles, cramps ... now i know how to stop it, by breathing into a paper bag, but, like gauchoamigo, I have had this millstone round my neck for 40 years and it ain't gonna go away! I receive no meds for this as the thought of them can send me off into another panic.

So it isn't just about feelin embarrassed about doing a presentation - it can and does seriously undermine one's quality of life.

ITS ACTUALLY 2AM RIGHT N0W ... I JUST HAD A PANIC ATTACK . ANXIETY ATTACK IM OT EVEN SURE WHAT THEY AREE !! ITS BEEN 4 YEARS NOW SINCE I HAVE BEEN GETTING THEM ... AND THE THING IS ITLL HAPPEN OUT OF NO WHERE .. EVEN WHEN IM SOOO HAPPY !! ITLL B ONE STRONNNGGG BEAT AND THAN JUST BEAT FAST .. AND SOMETIMES ILL GET SHARP PAINS IN MY CHEST THINKING IM ABOUT TO HAVE A HEART ATTACK , AND MY THROAT STARTS TO HURT .. AND MY ARM ... AND I HAVE TO TAKE A BIG LONG DEEEEEEEPPPPPP BREATH TO MAKE IT GO AWAY .. BUT IT WILL JUST START BACK UP AGAIN !! MY FAMILY TELLS ME NOT TO WORRY AND THAT IM STRESSED OUT AND ITS JUST ANXIETY .. BUT THATS NOT ENOUGH FOR ME .. I ACTUALLY HAVENT HAD ONE IN THE PAST 10 MIN . BUT I FEEL A SLIGHT DISCOMFORT IN MY CHEST . WHATS WRONG WITH ME? IM ONLY 17 ( JUST TURNED 17 ) .. THIS ISNT NORMAL .. IVE BEEN TO THE DOCTORS AND THEY NEVER TOLD ME I HAD ANXIETY OR ANYTHING .. I HAD A MRI . AND ECHO ... I HAD CHEST MONITOR HOOKED UP TO ME .. SOMETIMES I EVEN THINK IM GOING TO DIE .. AND THE PAST COUPLE NIGHTS I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT DYING .. HOW IM GOING TO DIE ECT. I DNT WANA THINK ABOUT THAT? IM SCARED TO DRIVE IN CARS .. IM ALWAYS THINKING THE WORSE... I FEEL LIKE ITS TAKEN OVER MY LIFE .. I DNT WANT PILLS .. THEY SCARE ME ... IDK WHAT TO DO . SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME FEEL AT EASE !! PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.

Panic attacks will NOT make you die, although they very well might make you feel like you're gonna die. Just remember that it will pass, and therapy can help panic attacks!!

Please don't post in all caps

I used to have real bad panic attacks, woke up in the nite and freaking and passing and just panicking out of the blue...my doc prescribed Xanax and it worked...

I suppose that you are suffering from panic disorder.This is just my assumption as you are getting chest pain and discomfort during night.Why you are afraid of pills?Please avoid that because they are the best source to reduce panic disorders.
http://www.myanxietyattacks.com/anxiety-di sorders/panic-disorder/

My wife has suffered from panic attacks for many years now, it got to a stage when she would cling to me for dear life and beg me not to go to work and leave her along.

Now 5 years down the line she is a lot better, with the right medication and therapy. What I am trying to say is that there is light at the end of the tunnel however dark your life is at the moment.

Hi there Nyre,well its bad i give you that,but you are not dying ,but what you are doing is letting fear get a hold of you,fight back tell your mind its not real,i joined the Linden method 4years ago,oh boy did it help,wish id found it sooner,i am on prozac,and it helps,dont be affraid your gonna be ok hun xxxxxxx

I have suffered from PA's for 8 years, I always think there is something wrong with my heart and that i'm about to die, and then nothing. I have always heard that you can't die from them.

well my anxiety i though was gone but ....it came back! and the symptoms i forgot how to handle! i was so happy to get over this i though but i guess i didn't! well my heart flutters! i noticed sometimes when iam tired! or when im over worked! but that recent!cuz ive been thinkin about the recent death in the family!"he was really close to me and i cant stop thinkin about him,i mean the though tapered alil but i though i was gettin better i mean i know i did but these flutters scare me once more! am i the only one! i must breathe now! oh yea it also happend when im about to go oin to a dark room,i can feel it! my body starts to feel diffrent how i breathe its slow and i forget to breathe many times! i also have vein pains!!!! with the fluttering and leg pain sometimes! im not that scared well iam but i can manage i will go to the doctor soon anywayz,last time i went lots of test done and iam healthly as can be!

well my anxiety i though was gone but ....it came back! and the symptoms i forgot how to handle! i was so happy to get over this i though but i guess i didn't! well my heart flutters! i noticed sometimes when iam tired! or when im over worked! but that recent!cuz ive been thinkin about the recent death in the family!"he was really close to me and i cant stop thinkin about him,i mean the though tapered alil but i though i was gettin better i mean i know i did but these flutters scare me once more! am i the only one! i must breathe now! oh yea it also happend when im about to go oin to a dark room,i can feel it! my body starts to feel diffrent how i breathe its slow and i forget to breathe many times! i also have vein pains!!!! with the fluttering and leg pain sometimes! im not that scared well iam but i can manage i will go to the doctor soon anywayz,last time i went lots of test done and iam healthly as can be!

The symptoms of my worst attack included, extreme chest pain (so bad i could no longer stand up), extreme heart palpations (so intense it felt like i had to keep moving in fast jerky motions for my heart to beat), a numb tingling sensation over most of my body, the feeling of not being able to swallow, hyperventilation, and the fear of death. These symptoms lasted around one hour and thirty minutes. Since the mentioned attack I have been to the emergency room twice. Each time being sent home with the diagnosis of anxiety. I have only suffered minor to moderate attacks ever since. In fact I am on my way to calming down from one right now. The one thing which helps me most (besides benzopizadime's) is time.