Hi lavendersteph,

The first step I take in discussing anxieties is to eliminate the possibility that your anxiety attacks are not due to an internal biochemical imbalance, that can cause the overproduction of adrenaline.

For instance, most people with anxiety attacks have been found to be hypoglycemic, which is a sugar handling problem. For the brain to convert one set of molecules into another set of molecules, such as the conversion of Tryptophan into serotonin, it needs an extraordinary amount of Biological Energy called (ATP). Without that energy the body cannot produce the relaxing "hormones" of relaxation.

That energy is derived mainly from carbohydrates in food, especially refined ones such as sugar.

If he person has insulin resistance (the major cause of hypoglycemic symptoms), it means the receptors for insulin blocks the transfer of energy to brain cells and the brain will be starved of energy. This will trigger the release of adrenaline from the adrenal glands. Adrenaline functions to liberate stored sugar molecules (glycogen) to feed the brain again with glucose. But adrenaline is also the fight/flight hormone. Internal secretion of excess adrenaline is responsible for most forms of mood disorders including anxiety attacks.

A person unable to explain their uncontrollable anxieties are likely to make up a story that could possibly explain their unreasonable emotions (called technically "reverse conditioning")

Please read:

Beating Anxiety and Phobias