How can I deal with sudden anxiety attacks?

You have to eliminate ALL caffeine and sugar from your diet to prevent the anxiety attacks. Chocolate, coffee, tea, honey, Mountain Dew, Cola, any soda with caffeine, anything containing sugar. Also be aware that decongestants and many medications can cause anxiety attacks. Read all labels for side effects.

If an anxiety attack starts you can feel it the second it starts. That is when you have to go completely still and concentrate entirely on being calm, and on slow steady deep breathing. You have to go to a mental place where nothing exists except you and your breathing. You can usually stop the attack in its tracks if you do this the second you feel it starts. If you wait even one minute you will not be able to control it.

Be aware also that the very worst thing that could happen to you when you experience an attack is that you might pass out from hyperventilation, and if you do pass out it will "cure" the anxiety attack. Fainting resets the bodies breathing rhythym, so when you wake up the attack will be over.

That being said, if you can't control an attack, place yourself where you can fall or pass out without hitting any furniture or sharp corners.

You might want to see a doctor and get a prescription for Lorazepam in case of an emergency. Lorazepam supposedly ends the attack within 30 minutes. I had such a prescription, but using the methods above, I did not have to take even one pill. Still, it was a reassurance that if I DID really need it I had it right there.

Mindfulness, exercise, singing, or simply getting outside.

Keep safe, refrain from hurting yourself, pre-think things, factor in what might go wrong, be as relaxed as possible, know that it will end and things will be back to normal soon. ((Just some thoughts from a fellow anxious person))

Medication will only make it worse...the solution has to come from within you and not without.

I tried to manage without medication but it was tough. So medication is mandatory in some cases.

I had a panic attack once where all of a sudden I did not know where I was ,at work, I looked around and felt lost and did not understand why I was here for 5 minutes before everything started to make sense. But my last panic attack I had I told my co worker that I felt weird that the cops were coming to arrest me I did nothing but all anxious.2 hrs later the cops showed up at my work place looking for me because someone reported that I was suicidal.that was weird to happen and very embarrassing to happen at my work place.