Generally without warning the symptoms arrive and cause the sufferer to feel fearful, nervous, and frightened without reason. These episodes can last minutes, sometimes even hours, and can be very disabling to most people as they essentially can freeze a person like a “deer in the headlights”. Because so many symptoms that are realized during an anxiety attack are similar if not exactly like those of some other kind of condition, it is almost impossible to determine if what you have been feeling is due to an anxiety attack, or another condition. This is why it’s important to see a doctor and explain your symptoms, so that your physician can run the necessary tests in determining whether you have an underlying medical condition. Calming herbs such as lavender, valerian and passion flower and have been used successfully at the onset of a panic attack. Vitamins and amino acids can be combined successfully to help reduce the occurrence of panic attacks. Research vitamin B-complex, Omega-3 fatty acids, 5HTP, sAMe and L-taurine to see if they might benefit you in controlling your panic attacks. If you are having panic attacks, but are unaware, and are also suffering from depression, then the two can aggravate the other until proper treatment is realized. As depression is another difficult illness to properly diagnose and treat, it is imperative to actively find treatment that works for you. This is the reason why many agoraphobics tend to get worse before they get better. It is easy for an agoraphobic to ignore their problem, since all they have to do is not travel beyond their limits but unfortunately while being easy to ignore, agoraphobia also tends to be the most stifling of the symptoms that can arise from chronic panic disorder. With a sign of anxiety attack, it could just as likely be a symptom to a great misdiagnosed problem as it could be a sign of anxiety attack. Seeking good professional help is the most important key to solving this mystery. Fear is your body’s natural reaction to a lot of outside stimuli. It is normal for the body to react in such a way as to become anxious or fearful because this often protected our ancestors from a lot of problems and harm.