For the last twenty years you have been driving your car without trouble but one day and without a warning while you are driving, you feel dizzy, have difficulty breathing, and a feeling of dread takes over you. The terror increases when you feel you are going to lose control at the wheel. You could be having a panic attack, not a heart attack. But after this episode, you might not want to drive your car again for fear of another panic attack.

While some may tell you to overcome this fear by confronting it and driving more frequently, this only works if your panic attack was caused by a fear of driving. The best way to handle this is to learn how to deal with panic attacks while driving so that you can be better prepared and feel calmer while you drive.

The first time you have a panic attack while driving, you might not recognize the symptoms - increasing dread and fear, shakes and sweating. You may start to worry about hazardous road conditions, having a breakdown or getting stuck in traffic.

At the onset of a panic attack while you are driving your car, pull over. During a panic attack, it seems that all cars are racing towards you. That is just your imagination or ugly intrusive thoughts going haywire. Sit up straight, take a deep breath, and regulate your breathing until you are relaxed. Breathing in through your noise and exhaling through your mouth can lessen the attack.

Panic attacks can last a couple of seconds or for few minutes. Just try to relax and calm yourself until the attack subsides. If you have some water in the car, take sips of this, since dehydration can trigger panic attacks. Take a pill if you have any prescription medication for your panic disorder and ride your attack out until you're thoroughly relaxed. You should keep some water and a paper bag to regulate your breathing in the car at all times.

Preventing those attacks is better than a pound of cure. To avert panic attacks, take vitamin B complex as part of your preventive regimen. This vitamin family is recommended for people who are stressed out. Since Vitamin B complex is water soluble, there is no harm in taking the vitamins daily to supplement your diet but ask your doctor for the correct daily dosage for your age and gender.

Always follow the recommendations of your physician and make sure to attend any one on one or group therapy sessions consistently. The support that being around others who suffer from panic attacks provides can be invaluable.

If you tend to have panic attacks while driving, you should always have someone else with you when you drive. If your panic attacks are especially severe or frequent, you may even want to have them drive instead. Simply having another person there can greatly reduce the anxiety which often leads to panic attacks.