Seven strategies for managing panic attacks I had my first panic attack when I was 20 years old. A fearful and terrifying feeling came out of nowhere and struck me. There was no trigger that I was aware of at the time. I was out shopping when the world seemed to tilt around me. I lost the capacity to move my legs, my hands went numb, and my heart was racing so hard I felt it would come out of my chest. I dropped to the floor and wanted the earth to swallow me up as people sto