There are alternatives to anti-anxiety drugs like Prosac, Xanax, Librium, Elavil, Diazepam, and Valium. Many people have successfully managed their anxiety and panic attacks through natural means starting with changing their breathing and sometimes including Kava Kava, Passionflower and Valerian Root. But as most people have unbalanced breathing or undetectable shortness of breath. I highly recommend changing the breath first. Excessive chest breathing almost always accompanies anxiety.
Anxiety means that the breathing balance is way off.
You breathe 10-30 thousand times daily so there are many opportunities to experience this unbalanced response. One may also look into the biochemical aspects such as B vitamin deficiency, toxemia and acidosis but the way you breathe is senior to almost all other aspects of anxiety because most do not breathe optimally in the first place. Try the squeeze and breathe again. Wrap your fingers around your sides towards your belly button. Squeeze gently then nose breathe long slow deep breaths into your squeezed fingers and thumbs trying to separate them against their will.