When Panic Attacks Today, some people lightly throw around the
phrase “panic attack.” When feeling stressed or nervous, they
may say, “Oh my goodness, I’m about to have a panic attack.”
Though in this case used as an exaggeration, for many, panic
attacks are a serious issue. For instance, one woman
experiencing a panic attack for the first time said, “My nerves
seemed to catch on fire, my muscles became as stiff as rods, and
my heart felt like it would explode...I was paralyzed with fear-
the same feeling you get when you step off a curb and realize a
car is heading straight toward you” (1). This feeling, often
equated with insanity, is extremely common during an attack.
Even more, more than a quarter of all people will have a panic
attack at least once in their lifetime. Thus, in order to better
understand the reality of a panic attack, it is essential to
comprehend its anatomy, its symptoms, and its effects on the
brain and the body. Indeed, by collecting observations of those
who endure a panic attack, one