Suggest Ways To Deal With Panic Attacks

Hi. I am really hoping that a doctor can help me. I have dealt with panick attacks my whole life. For a good couple of months now, they have been so bad. I was thinking that maybe it was becuase I have been living with my mom now. I have lived with my dad and mommom my whole life. And growing up, I had no clue who my mom even was. Of course I knew her name, and what she looked like but it's different living with someone else and actually having brothers and sisters now, and adapting to a different lifestyle. Anyways.. My panick attacks really scare me. Sometimes like last night, I wake up out of my sleep and my heart was beating so fast and I was anxious.. I started to have a panick attack. I constantly have these scary thoughts that freak me out and make me think that I am going crazy.. I can't ever calm myself down sometimes. These thoughts are scary. I am only 16 and I am afraid that I won't make it any farther in life sometimes because they are so bad. Growing up I was never a happy person. People used to call me "smiley" because I never smiled. Some people are just born with a nice, happy going, bubbly personality but not me. I am always in a bad mood and upset. I am very sensitive too. I really want to know how I can stop these panick attacks. My scary thoughts literally make me feel like I am going crazy and I start freaking and it is hard to explain to someone what it is and what I am going through. My mommom who I lived with my whole life, said that panick attacks run in the fun and that I don't need medicine for what I am going through. I am scared to take medicine too. I am scared that it would make my mind even worse. My sister said that maybe I should go and see a therapist. I can talk to that. And maybe they can put me to sleep or something. I don't know what she meant.. But please. I want to be happy and have these scary thoughts and panick attacks to go away. I wish I didn't always think so negitive all the time.. Please someone help!!!
-Kay