Anxiety and Panic Attacks: What’s Happening in Your Body
What’s Happening in Your Body Anxiety can feel like a constant hum in the background- tight chest, restless thoughts, a sense that something is about to go wrong. A panic attack can feel like something worse: sudden, overwhelming, and terrifying. Your heart races. Your breath gets shallow. Your hands tingle. You might feel dizzy, detached, or convinced you’re about to pass out, lose control, or die. And then comes the part that keeps the cycle going: You start fearing the fear. You fear the next episode. You scan your body for signs. You avoid places where it happened before. You try to control your thoughts and sensations- only to find they get louder. If you’ve experienced panic, you’re not weak. You’re not “dramatic.” You’re having a very real physiological experience, and it’s one your nervous system can learn to do differently. Panic Isn’t Dangerous- But It Feels Like It Is A panic attack is the body’s fight-or-flight system firing at the wrong time, often in response to st...