Imagine walking down the street on a normal day when all of a sudden your heart starts pounding like crazy and you feel sick to your stomach for no particular reason at allSome medical doctors call this condition an "anxiety disorder". It can happen anytime, without warning. If you feel you are at risk, check out the following treatments available today:

1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) combines thought and action exercises to reinforce a more positive perspective. This includes worksheets and training exercises to help you know your negative life patterns and replace them with better alternatives.

CBT worksheets include rating thoughts and feelings as they occur during the course of treatment. You are then told to rate them in from a given scale. The goal is to teach you a more positive perspective that can help prevent panic attacks in the future.

2. Exposure Therapy

Exposure therapy is part of CBT therapy that deals with phobias. This also includes charts and workbooks. They make you voluntary expose yourself to your phobias through a more controlled environment. This works well because it lessens your chances of having panic attacks when you feel more in control of your fears.

For example, a person afraid of spiders voluntarily gets to a close approximation of a spider, starting with pictures of it, until a real one is introduced in varying durations. The method works by decreasing the feeling of discomfort until it reaches a more manageable level.

3. Relaxation Techniques and Other Anxiety Attack Treatments

After CBT, several relaxation techniques are recommended, some of which may include breathing exercises. You are taught how to breathe properly if you feel tense or about to have a panic attack. (Commonly used techniques include how to breathe into a paper bag.)

Anger management and anxiety management may also be included in your treatment. This may also include evaluation worksheets to track how you perceive certain events as anxiety triggers. Then you are taught how to handle grievances in a more positive light.

Overcoming an anxiety attack can be overwhelming but not impossible. The first line of defense is changing your negative set of life patterns and steering them towards a more positive direction. If you feel you are at risk, see a medical professional and get help immediately. Living a healthier and more normal life begins with your decision today.