text: what is the best thing do do if you have a panic attack and irrational fears? bit of a delicate situation, i suffer quite severe panic attacks when i am with my boyfriend. i even have nightmares about it. i start to think the worst and go silent quite frequently. a panic attack is scary and can be serious at times.  this panic attack happens because your fight or flight response in your brain (which is there to make you run when you're in danger) is over reacting.  you need to train your brain to set off this fight or flight routine at a higher level of real life threating stress rather than every time you start to worry about your job, your boyfriend, etc.  a panic attack can broadside you for the first time with full blown hyperventilation, tingling in your fingers, burning in your extremeties, and at worst, can paralyze you for a short time.  when you hyperventilate, you take on too much oxygen which affects your muscles.  there are medications like clonapin that will lower your anxiety level and stop the panic attacks.  even when you go off of them, you may have retrained your brain to set off the fight or flight response at a higher level.  your fears whether real or unreal need to be dealt with (with a reputable psychotherapist, social worker or psychologist) in the long run.  clonapin works very well for some people, but you can't stay on it forever.  it can give you a break from the scary attacks where you can't catch your breath, etc....  good luck... i feel for you, but do get help now!