When you consider the times that we live in, there is suffering of every kind all around us that often call for each of us to be involved to help, in some small form, alleviate the suffering.  There is enough suffering to make many of us feel jaded and even cynical.  Someone who displays symptoms of panic attacks on the street might cause someone else to ask, “Is he having a heart attack or is he just going crazy?”  No matter whether it’s a heart attack, a panic attack, or suffering through some post-traumatic stress trauma, it’s advisable to be involved by at least calling 911 from your cell phone and describe to the operator what happened.

If you have already recognized the symptoms of panic attacks, you may already know that its severity is quite distinct from a heart attack.  While a heart attack can be fatal even the first, it’s very seldom that a panic attack would result in death.  The average length of time when suffering a panic attack is about 10 to 15 minutes.  During that time, you can assist the person by finding a cool shady place to sit and drink some water.  A small gesture such as this may pay off in the long run.  The next thing you can do is ask if there’s someone you can call on his behalf to explain to the person you’re calling what happened and if he can be brought home.  Showing these small gestures may actual help the victim alleviate some of the anxiety that may have caused the panic attack in the first place.    It’s also possible that the person may not have anyone you can contact.  If this is not an emergency situation, a hospital emergency room cannot be of much help.  Intead, you can help by helping the sufferer procure some mental health treament.  Panic attacks are often precipitated by a catastrophic event that occurred in that person’s life and has never really taken the time to deal with the problem.  If you are determined to help this person, do not suppose or pretend to be a psychologist, psychiatrist, or any kind of mental health professional.  Instead, spend more time listening than talking.  Hear and understand the story the person is sharing.  The more information you obtain, the better your chances are in helping the person find the right help.