To anyone who suffers from the "panic attack" it is quite obvious that there is no rhyme or reason to it. It could happen in the subway, the grocery store or at your own dining room table. Hours of therapy trying to figure out why it happened or what may have caused it is simply a waste of money and time. When one is having extreme anxiety or a panic attack they are not concerned with why or how it started, they are concerned with getting it to stop. This type of condition has been around for a long time and I believe was earlier known as a nervous breakdown. Regardless, it has only been in the last 25 years or so that it is attributed to a chemical imbalance in the brain and drugs like Paxil do not cure it, but do lessen its strength and duration. Usually, unbeknownst to the individual, their breathing has changed. The nitrogen, carbon dioxide and oxygen they are taking in have become off balance. I have developed a technique of breathing to bring one out of an attack and restore calm to the body. Simply breathing in through the nose ONLY and then blowing out through the mouth only, can balance the gases in your body. Don't be afraid of blowing out strongly or noisily. After a few minutes of this you WILL feel the difference. You can also practice this type of breathing at any time, whether in a crowd or in your shower at home.