Hi,
I found this written on a panic site,
What You Fear the Most Cannot Happen
A panic attack is a horrible and terrifying experience, but it is not in any sense dangerous. Panic disorder is actually an entirely natural bodily reaction that is occurring OUT OF CONTEXT.
For example, when we feel our survival is somehow threatened, all mammals have an instinctual response to either fight or flee. This response produces a sudden surge of adrenaline, accompanied by strong feelings of anxiety and panic, and a very intense urge to flee or escape the situation or circumstance.
It is interesting that the intensity of the reaction and the strong urge to flee are things that would ensure your survival if you were truly in danger.....
The flow of adrenaline and the resulting extra blood flow increases your strength and awareness of the danger. This extra "awareness" of the perceived danger may cause all sorts of feelings, such as dizziness, nausea, hyperventilation, heart palpitations, confusion, lack of control, unreality, being dazed, shaking, trembling, and sweaty palms, among others.
During a panic attack, your body goes through the same physical processes as it would if you were in real danger. The DIFFERENCE, of course, is that although you feel you are in danger, you really ARE NOT. That you undergo panic attacks -- without knowing why -- only makes the situation much more frightening.
Because of these feelings of panic, it's very common to "invent" or attribute danger to the accompanying bodily symptoms. Remember, though, that NO ONE has ever had these things happen to them as a result of a panic attack:
"I'M GOING CRAZY": No one with panic attacks and anxiety has ever gone "crazy". In fact, because you realize that you have panic attacks, this is just another indication that you are not going crazy. People that "go crazy" lose contact with reality. Anxiety people are too much in contact with reality. Thus, people with panic and anxiety problems NEVER "go crazy". It simply cannot happen.
"I'M GOING TO PASS OUT": Temporary dizziness leads people with panic to feel that they may pass out. This is not possible because, during panic, your heart beats faster, and your blood pressure rises. As the blood pressure rises, it becomes im