When I was, oh, 16-17, I was diagnosed with severe anxiety, among other things. My biggest problem was an irrational fear of rabies. Now, rabies, like cancer, is a terrifying and deadly disease. Incidentally enough, some of the symptoms of rabies (hyper-activity, increased heart rate and body temp) are also symptoms of panic attacks.

I had a whole routine for about 5-6 months. I'd wake up, and immediately check what I thought was a rabies infected animal bite on my right leg for signs of swelling or itchiness. Of course, because I've been itching and picking at this spot for a long time now, it is a little red and irritated. This sets off the initial panic.

Then, I went for a drink of water. Another term used for rabies is hydrophobia, or fear of water. Of course, I'd drink the water fine. Every. Single. Time. However, hydrophobia is one of the later symptoms of rabies. Naturally, my panicked brain would default to that flawed judgement and I'd fall even further into my panic attack. I digress.

In the end, the only thing that helped me was my therapist and the meditation technique she taught me(On top of her therapy, of course). I know it might sound silly, but mediation is a real thing. Tried and true. I'd recommend getting a therapist and having them teach you. Most of them know how to do it. But, I can give you a brief guide on how to at least try it out. Some people prefer different ways, so feel free to do some research online too.

Most important part is quiet. Try to find a place without distractions. White noise is fine, or things like fans or maybe even the sound of distant traffic. But if you live in a super noisy area like next to a railroad, or have a generally noisy house, it'll be very difficult to focus.

So, find a nice quiet and comfortable spot. Somewhere you can relax your body. Close your eyes, and start to focus on your breaths. Feel the air rush in through your nose, down your throat and into your lungs. Feel your lungs expanding, as they fill with air and push your chest slightly. Then exhale out of your mouth, and do it again.

Keep doing this, while focusing on how your body feels while simultaneously trying to think about nothing. Check on your body. See how your arms feel. Your legs. You might feel a bit of a rush thru your limbs. For me, it kind of feels like energy rushing from the earth into my body. For some, it can feel like a shield of blue energy around them, or simply like a warm blanket falling over them. Of course, it's all in your head. Just nerves and synapses.

For me, the best spot I could find to meditate was my therapists' office. It was quiet, nice and cool and had the most comfortable couch I've ever sat on. After a half hour to an hour of meditation, I'd feel like a new person for the rest of the day. Like all that weight on my shoulders was taken off. I'd feel... good. Just give it a shot