Flashback: I'm in the seventh grade, and it's probably about 2 a.m. on a school night.

I fall asleep with racing thoughts, then I wake up shortly after with a sense of panic: my heart feels like it's beating a million beats per minute, my breathing is out of control, my mind is racing and I feel like I'm either going crazy or dying.

I pace back and forth from my room to the bathroom, trying not to wake up the rest of my family, but I just don't know what to do. All I can think is, "Why is this happening to me? What is wrong with me?"

The panic eventually subsided, but the underlying anxiety of this experience lingered. This was my one of my first experiences, and certainly not last, of a "disorder" I eventually discovered a concrete word and definition for after months and months of this occurring to me.

My panic attacks (defined by Google dictionary as "a sudden feeling of acute and disabling anxiety") typically occurred in the middle of the night as I described, but also during random times of my day: in class, at work or even when out with friends.

There was a point in my life where I would experience this daily and often for no underlying reason I could think of. I would ponder and often overthink about what was causing these episodes. It only made them worse. The fear of having a panic attack often is what led to one. It was a very unforgiving, contradictory and emotionally taxing cycle. I thought there was something wrong with me, and I didn't know how to speak to other people about these concerning events. After the initial panic attack was over, all I desired was to forget it ever happened.

Sitting in a room full of people while feeling a sense of panic, even though others around you are experiencing reality normally, leads to a feeling known as "dissociation." In my personal experience, for example, I remember sitting in class when a panic attack set in and I felt almost as if I was in a dream and I had a very distorted view of reality.

I felt isolated, lost and confused.

I was experiencing this at a young age and had so many questions. Even reflecting on it now, I find it difficult to put an experience such as this is in "layman's terms" because it is difficult to fathom unless you have been in the same, or similar, situation.

Fast forward to me today, I continue to suffer from anxiety.

I believe we all suffer from some sort of anxiety- related to school, work, relationships, finances- the list goes on. Life can be stressful. But in these cases of anxiety, they are more easily justifiable: "I'm so anxious because I didn't study for my exam," or "I start a new job today and I'm feeling very anxious."

That being said, in no one way should anyone feel undermined about the degree of anxiety he or she experiences. But in the particular case of panic attack disorder, a terrifying onset of trepidation, it is often difficult to identify an underlying cause and, therefore, you feel like there is something wrong with you.

It can be hard to connect to others. But it doesn't have to be that way. Once I realized I wasn't the only one suffering from this, it gave me a sense of comfort and reassurance. It's an ongoing learning experience, and I'm no expert. But here are five tips that I have learned thus far, and they have helped immensely in coping with my panic attacks and anxiety.

1. Accept that it is happening and remind yourself to breathe.

Attempting to ignore your symptoms can make them worse, so I have found it best to accept the moment and keep in mind it will pass. There are many different breathing exercises that may help in the midst of a panic attack.

My favorite I have learned: Lie down or sit in a chair. Starting with your jaw, tense up your muscles, then slowing release the tension. Notice how the tension feels being released from your body. Move on to your neck and shoulders, back and stomach, etc., until you get to your feet.

It may sound weird or strange at first, but it definitely helps you feel more grounded and relaxed. There are many other breathing exercises to help cope too, just google it!

2. Communicate with others.

Communication is key.

Although it may seem difficult or even useless, reach out to somebody you trust. This could be a friend, family member, or professional. Keeping your panic attacks a secret and the so-called bottling up of emotions can definitely make them worse and more likely to occur.

Once you are able to put your thoughts into words, it may make it easier to look at the situation from an outside perspective. It can feel like a heavy weight lifted off your shoulders.

3. Write your current thoughts and feelings.

In the moment, you may not have anyone to talk to. Or maybe you feel like you can't. A helpful alternative is to write down everything you're feeling. This may help you get an insight on what's going on in your head, and it also gives you the opportunity to look back on your experience.

4. Give yourself some space.

Go for a walk. I found in my experiences that simply being outside and taking in nature and my surroundings helped to feel more grounded and in touch with reality. Depending on where you are, I know this isn't always ideal.

Other ways to attempt to gain this sense of "clarity" are to stretch or practice yoga, listen to some of your favorite music, or take a nice hot bath or shower. Aromatherapy works wonders for many as well.

5. Reflect and educate yourself.

When I was younger, I was encouraged to go to therapy. This idea did not appeal to me because I didn't know what was happening or why, and the thought of talking to a stranger about it was a no-go for me at the time. I wanted to hide in ignorance because I was afraid to find out something was wrong with me.

But I did begin to research what was happening to me, just via the internet and some self-help books. I began to learn about the psychological and physiological reasonings behind my condition. In turn, this led me to realize there were, and still are, underlying reasons for it.

This gave me much more insight and allowed me to be more aware of what was going on. It also allowed me to be more open to seeking help from others.

As I stated, this has been, and will continue to be an ongoing learning process for me. But I believe it is important for those of us that suffer to share our stories and seek out help when it's needed. Remember that there could not be good times without bad ones, and no matter which you use to define your experience, there is always room to improve, gain knowledge, and grow from these times.

And if you feel as if there's no one else out there to relate, I am proof there is. We got this.