How is dealing with an oncoming panic attack different when you're in public, when you're around friends you trust, and when you're alone?

When you're in public, panic attacks become much more difficult to handle. You're surrounded by strangers, adding to the feeling of discomfort and not being in control of yourself. The best tactic is to get in a quiet place, a bathroom or your car, to be alone and to calm down without others seeing you. When you are around friends you trust, you still may struggle with feeling like you will be out of control, but depending on who you are, being with them may fend off the attack and calm you down quicker. It all depends on how you feel about being in the midst of a panic attack in front of others. When you are alone, you may either be more comfortable, and ba able to pull yourself back together more quickly, or you may feel lost and alone- heightening the attack. It all depends on who you are and what/who calms you down.

When I have a public panic attack, I immediately seek somewhere private (a corner, a bathroom, empty classroom) and wait for it to pass. If I'm with friends or family I make sure that they know about my condition. They either help me through it or leave me alone if they are not sure of what to do or how to handle the situation.

Always use a little psychological trick. The one that works for panic attacks is as follows; Count down from 10 to 1 slowly. This will trick your brain into focusing on the logical problem of counting down and you'll stop focusing on whatever is initiating the panic. This may not work 100% of the time.