Imagine you’re walking through your day, feeling fine, and out of nowhere—your heart races, your chest tightens, you can’t catch your breath. Your mind spirals: *Is this a heart attack? Am I losing control?* That sudden wave of fear and physical symptoms? That’s a **panic attack**.

But here’s the thing: while panic attacks feel terrifying, the truth is, your body is simply overreacting to *stress*. It’s like your brain hits the “emergency button” when there’s no real danger. The pounding heart, the dizziness, the shortness of breath—it’s just your body’s fight-or-flight system kicking in. It feels awful, but it’s harmless.

So how do you deal with it? Deep breathing, grounding techniques, and reminding yourself: **”This will pass.”** Knowing that it’s your body trying to protect you (even though there’s no real threat) can help you regain control. You’re not losing your mind, and you’re not in danger—it’s just your body in overdrive.

Ever experienced this? You’re not alone, and yes, you can get through it.

Luciana Silva

Clinical EMDR Psychotherapist