Knowing about anxiety attack symptoms can reduce some fear of insanity. Having this information won't necessarily reduce the severity of the episode but at least you will know you aren't going insane.
There are many treatments that exist today. Some of them work fairly well and others do not work at all. Many of these treatments simply mask the symptoms for a short time. They do not actually fix anything.
To effectively treat or overcome panic and anxiety attacks, one has to know what the symptoms are, so as to take the necessary precautions on how to prevent it from happening. Knowing what your body responds to help greatly in overcoming these attacks.