First thing is first.
NEVER belittle or try to downplay someone's Anxiety Disorder.
This is a REAL disorder and should be respected as such.
Don't just dismiss their episode as a one time event, or try and 'solve'
their problem through rationalization.
You have to understand that
when a person is actually going through an Anxiety attack rationality
is not something they are concentrating on. Or listening to. This is
an extremely frightening experience and no matter how much you'd want
to, you CANNOT MAKE THIS EXPERIENCE GO AWAY. Only the
individual who is HAVING the attack has the power to do this. Not YOU.
Imagine for a second that you
had witnessed a "physical" accident that your loved one or
dear friend was a part of. Something you could SEE the outcome from.
Wouldn't you do everything in your power to help them?
How can you do that? Just BE
there for them. Let them know that while you may not understand what
they are going through, you are there for them and will stay until they
feel better.
Do
NOT try and force someone out of an Anxiety attack. It could
make the attack that much worse for them. Just let the attack happen
naturally, and in most, if not all, cases, their bodies will help them
come out of the 'hot' zone all on it's own.