Panic is defined as “a sudden fear which dominates or replaces thinking”. There is such a thing as reasonable panic, that is panic based on tangible reasons. Let’s say you are hiking through the woods on a nice late spring day, and hear something behind you, it’s a large bear running full speed, you panic, try to run away, climb a tree, jump into a lake, scream, you get the picture. I would call this panic based on reason, even if it is not the smartest thing to do, it does seem reasonable. Another example might be that dreaded phone call in the middle of the night, awakened from a deep sleep, you feel like you can’t breathe, your heart is beating out of your chest, knowing that voice on the other end is there to give you devastating news. This might not be as good of a reason to panic as the bear but those terrible midnight phone calls do happen.
A panic attack might be defined as “a sudden ‘unreasonable’ fear which dominates or replaces thinking”. If someone is at a nice restaurant, eating a pleasant meal and suddenly the thought occurs that something is wrong with the food. The place is packed as always with everyone else seeming to be just fine except you. The symptoms are there, sweating, cold chills, trembling. Now all you can think of is that you are not going to panic, because there’s no reason. But the panic is already there and all you can think about. The harder you try not to panic, the more you panic.
There may be physical or chemical reasons for some of this,who knows? Our brains work in very mysterious ways. How many times have you heard,”It’s all in your head”? Well, it may be, but just knowing it doesn’t change it. Remember, it’s called “unreasonable” fear, you cannot simply talk yourself out of it. Just know there is help, and give yourself permission to seek it.