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Panic
You feel a sudden, overwhelming wave of terror that hijacks your entire body. Panic is anxiety's emergency mode — your fight-or-flight system going into overdrive. It feels like you're dying, losing control, or going crazy. You're not — your body is just stuck in a false alarm.
What does panic feel like in your body?
- •Heart racing so fast it feels like a heart attack
- •Can't breathe or feeling like you're suffocating
- •Dizziness, tingling, or feeling detached from reality
- •Chest pain and a sense of impending doom
Common triggers
- •Sudden overwhelming stress or a shock
- •Being in a situation you can't easily escape
- •A thought spiral that escalates out of control
- •Physical sensations (like caffeine or exhaustion) that your brain misreads as danger
Journaling prompts for when you feel panic
- What was happening right before the panic started?
- What helps you feel safe when you're in the middle of a panic moment?
- What would you say to comfort yourself during a panic attack?
Healthy ways to cope with panic
1. Remind yourself: 'This is a panic attack. It will pass. I am not in danger.'
2. Breathe slowly — in through your nose for 4, out through your mouth for 8
3. Hold something cold (ice cube, cold can) to shock your system out of the spiral
Related emotions
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