"Am I Dying?" Panic Attack Symptoms Explained (Physical & Mental)
"What is wrong with me?" "Is this normal?" "Am I dying?"
If you've ever had a panic attack, you know these thoughts. That sudden, terrifying rush of fear that comes out of nowhere, so intense you feel like you are losing your mind or that your body is failing you.
I remember my first panic attack so vividly. I was a freshman or sophomore in high school, at a track meet. Suddenly, I couldn't catch my breath, my heart was pounding, and I felt sweaty, hot, and completely disoriented. Everyone thought I was having an asthma attack, but I knew—I knew—this was something different. And it was terrifying.
I felt like something really bad was happening to me, and the worst part was that I didn't understand it.
I've learned so much since that day, and I've spent years helping hundreds of people who feel that same terror. So much of what we hear about anxiety is "tips, tools, and hacks." But honestly, one of the most powerful and relieving things you can do is simply understand what is happening in your body and why.
You are not broken. You are not "going crazy." And you are not dying. Let's walk through it.
What Is a Panic Attack?
Simply put, a panic attack is a sudden rush of intense adrenaline, fear, and discomfort that usually peaks within minutes.
That's it. It's not dangerous, even though it feels that way. It's your body's built-in alarm system—the "fight or flight" response—going off at the wrong time. Your brain is perceiving a threat (like a bear), but there is no actual bear. It's a false alarm. But because that alarm is ringing, your body is doing exactly what it's designed to do to protect you... which brings on the symptoms.
The Physical Symptoms (The "Am I Dying?" Feeling)
These symptoms are so convincing because they are very, very real. Your body is actually creating these sensations. It's not "all in your head."
When that adrenaline floods your system, you can experience:
Racing or Pounding Heart: Your heart is racing to pump blood to your muscles to help you run or fight.
Shortness of Breath: Your breathing speeds up to get more oxygen. This can feel like you can't breathe or are hyperventilating.
Dizziness & Faintness: Blood is being prioritized for survival, changing where it's flowing, which can make you feel lightheaded.
Trembling or Shaking: This is the adrenaline-fueled energy getting your muscles ready for action.
Tingling or Numbness: I used to get this in my hands, feet, and face. It's a common (and harmless) result of your breathing changes.
Chest Tightness or Pain: This is often just muscle tension from the "fight" response, but it's also the #1 symptom that sends people to the ER, convinced it's a heart attack.
Nausea or Stomach Upset: Your brain and gut are deeply connected. When you're in "survival mode," your body slows down digestion, which can cause nausea.
Hot Flashes or Chills: This is your body's attempt to regulate its temperature during a high-stress event.
The Mental & Emotional Symptoms (The "Am I Going Crazy?" Feeling)
For me, and for many of my students, these can be even scarier than the physical symptoms. Your brain is trying desperately to make sense of the intense physical sensations, so it supplies you with terrifying reasons for them.
This can include:
Feeling Detached (Derealization/Depersonalization): A very strange feeling of being "removed" from your body or your surroundings, like you're watching yourself in a movie.
Fear of Losing Control: The powerful urge to "escape" combined with the intensity of the feelings can make you feel like you're about to lose all control of your mind or body.
Fear of Dying: This is a direct result of the physical symptoms. "My heart is pounding, I can't breathe, I have chest pain... I must be dying."
A Sense of Impending Doom: This was one of the hardest for me. It's just a heavy, dreadful feeling that something terrible is about to happen, even if you can't name it.
Feeling Trapped: A desperate, overwhelming urge to "get out" of wherever you are.
What’s the Difference Between a Panic Attack and Panic Disorder?
This is a key distinction. Having a panic attack (or even a few) does not mean you have panic disorder.
Panic disorder develops when the attacks become recurrent, and you start to live in fear of having another one.
This is what happened to me after that track meet. I became so terrified of that feeling that I started to avoid anything that might bring it on. This is the Cycle of Fear and Avoidance.
You start to avoid situations, places, or even sensations (like your heart racing during exercise) that remind you of panic. You get stuck in a "panic loop," where you feel a sensation, panic about the sensation, which creates more adrenaline, which creates more sensations.
So, How Do You Heal?
First, I want you to know that panic disorder is 100% treatable. You can absolutely, fully recover. I am proof of this, and so are hundreds of my students.
A big part of this work starts with understanding and compassion. The very fact that you are reading this is a massive step.
Here are the things that truly help you heal:
Understanding (What We're Doing Right Now): Simply knowing what is happening and why it's happening takes away so much of its power.
Not Avoiding: This is the hard part, but it's the most critical. Recovery happens when you slowly and supportively teach your brain that the sensations themselves are not dangerous, and that the "dangerous" places (like the grocery store) are safe.
Getting Support: You don't have to do this alone. In fact, it's so much harder when you do. Coaching, therapy, and communities make you feel less isolated and heal so much faster.
Redefining Recovery: Recovery isn't about never feeling anxious again. It's about learning to make space for anxiety, creating a new relationship with it, and learning to take it with you without letting it stop you.
That's where true healing lies—not in "fixing" or "hacking," but in responding differently to what your body is doing.
You Are Not Broken
If you recognize yourself in this post, please know this: You are not broken. You are human, and your body is just trying really hard to protect you. You can get out of this false protection mode.
If you're tired of just "coping" and want to truly heal your relationship with anxiety and panic, I have a resource for you. My Overcoming Panic Attacks mini-course is designed to do just that.
In it, I teach you how to break free from the panic spiral, relieve the symptoms, and reclaim control so you can feel safe in your body again. No more hacks, no more "managing"—just real, long-term healing.
Until next time, keep taking healthy action.
ready to stop doing it alone?
Inside my 10-week program, Panic to Peace, I’ll guide you through this work step by step and you’ll be surrounded by people who truly get it.
You don’t have to stay stuck. Healing is possible and it’s closer than you think.
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