Believe this or not, you choose panic. You egg on your panic like that girlfriend or boyfriend you pretend not to be interested in. Sorry to break this to you and it may upset you but unconsciously you are very deserving of your panic attack no matter how severe your attacks are.
Let me explain. The way you react to your panic attack never changes. There are situations in life that we can never change and will happen whether we like it or not. But one of few things in life we can change is ourselves. I am sure you have tried medication, therapy, different doctors and plenty more. I know because I did the same. No one ever really helped me personally. It was all methods that involved me being on medication or something that was going to cost a lot of money (which I didn’t have). I had plenty support from my family (some panic suffers on medication) but none from medical professionals on the outside world.
I decided if I wanted to beat panic, it was down to me. Me and only me. These words got me thinking, about me. I am a strong, independent person but when panic showed I became a scared, anxious, uncontrollable being. Frustrated and unhappy. My panic controlled me. Stopped me going where I wanted. Stop me attending dinners or nights out. Stopped me sleeping. If panic was a human being I could have them locked away for the years of mental abusive I had suffered.
My method is simply. When panic showed I was ready, I welcomed it. I would face all the sensations, intense feelings, urge to flee and ride the storm until it was calm again. I returned to all the places I had always avoided, I tried to be more social. If panic showed I told myself I can deal with it. You are the only person in control of your life. No one or nothing else. No human being has ever controlled me so why should panic. I’m sure there have been times you thought you might die. But you never have because you never will. Believe in yourself that you are safe and can overcome this.
Please remember, I didn’t one day wake up and took on my panic attacks head on. I make it sound easy but I have worked hard to achieve my goals. I incorporated other confidence building techniques and simple prevention tips. But please understand this, confronting your fears is a sure way to keep them away. Panic is like that school bully, everyone is scared of. Until you stand up to them. Your behaviour has to change towards you fears, because your fears will never make any changes towards you. You run and cower, so panic chases.