While it can be distressing watching someone you love and care for suffering the effects of an Anxiety Disorder there are some things you should be aware of in helping support them.
How you provide support may help them to control their anxiety attack to a certain extent.
So how do you offer that support? The first rule is to never trivialize someone's anxiety disorder.
Don't reject the event or try to solve their problem through rationalization.
This is a real disorder and should be appreciated as such.
A person suffering an attack will not listen to rational thought anyway.
It is the last thing that is on their mind.
What they are experiencing is really frightening and only they have the power to control it.
It may be tempting to try and ignore an anxiety attack as a strategy, but by doing so you are likely to contribute to another disorder that goes hand in glove with anxiety -- depression.
Never treat the incident as if they are lying or putting on a performance to get attention.
Just because you have never experienced the remorseless terror of an anxiety attack doesn't mean that it isn't actually happening.
The best thing to do is to let them know that while you may not understand what they are going through, you are there for them.
Help them understand that you will stay with them until they feel better -- just be there for them.
Let the sufferer ride out the attack and do not force the issue as this is likely to make it worse.
However tempting it may be, you should never give anyone suffering from an anxiety attack any medication that has not been specifically prescribed for them.
And lastly, if there is no sign of the attack abating take them to the hospital emergency room.