“I Didn’t Know It Was a Panic Attack” – How Panic Can Look Different for Everyone

When I was 29, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

What followed was a stretch of months that felt like I was living underwater—pressurized, blurry, disoriented. I cried a lot. I slept very little. And in the quiet moments between labs, surgeries, and treatments, I found myself in emotional places I didn’t have words for.

I remember one day curling up in a ball on my bedroom floor, unable to move, completely shut down. Another day, I was pacing the street outside my house in a cold sweat, heart racing, thoughts spiraling so fast I couldn’t catch any of them. I thought I was losing my mind.

Turns out, I was having panic attacks.

But I didn’t recognize them as panic attacks because they didn’t look the way I thought panic attacks were supposed to look. They didn’t look the way my previous panic attacks did.

What Panic Attacks Actually Feel Like

We often imagine panic attacks as dramatic, obvious episodes—people gasping for air, clutching their chests, or collapsing in public. And sometimes, that’s true. But for many people, especially in the middle of a traumatic or prolonged stressful experience, panic can manifest in quieter, less obvious, and deeply personal ways.

Here are just some symptoms of a panic attack:

• Racing or pounding heart

• Shortness of breath or feeling like you can’t breathe deeply

• Dizziness or lightheadedness

• Sweating or chills

• Nausea or stomach upset

• Feeling detached from your body or surroundings (also called dissociation)

• A sense of impending doom

• Shaking or trembling

• Chest pain or discomfort

• Numbness or tingling in hands or feet

But it can also look like this:

• Shutting down emotionally

• Not being able to speak

• Pacing without direction

• Crying uncontrollably without a clear trigger

• Feeling like you're "going crazy" or losing control

• Becoming hypersensitive to light, sound, or touch

You don’t have to check every box to be having a panic attack. And your panic doesn’t have to be loud to be valid.

Trauma Doesn’t Wait for Convenience

When I was going through cancer treatment, I was focused on surviving. I didn’t have the energy to pause and process everything I was feeling, let alone understand the deeper emotional responses my body was having.

The panic would come out of nowhere: when I was brushing my teeth, when I heard a certain song, or even when shopping for a birthday present for my daughter. It wasn’t about logic. It was about my nervous system trying to cope with something far bigger than it could handle alone.

It took me some time to connect the dots between my physical symptoms and the emotional storm underneath. If you’re wondering whether what you’re feeling might be panic, I want to say this clearly:

You’re not weak. You’re not broken. You’re responding normally to something that overwhelmed your system.

What You Can Do In the Moment

If you find yourself in the grip of panic—whether it’s sudden or slowly creeping—here are a few grounding strategies that may help:

1. 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique

• Name 5 things you can see

• Name 4 things you can touch

• Name 3 things you can hear

• Name 2 things you can smell

• Name 1 thing you can taste

This simple sensory check-in helps anchor you in the present moment.

2. Box Breathing

Breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4, and hold for 4 again. Repeat this pattern until you feel your heartbeat begin to settle.

3. Cold Water Reset

Splash cold water on your face or hold an ice cube in your hand. This can help “shock” your nervous system out of a spiral.

4. Move Your Body
Pace, stretch, shake out your hands—movement can help discharge excess adrenaline and reconnect you with your body.

5. Tell Yourself What’s True
Say out loud:

“This is panic. It feels scary, but it’s not dangerous. It will pass.”

Naming it helps your brain and body realize you are not in actual danger, even if it feels that way.

You’re Not Alone

If you’ve ever had a moment where your body took over and your mind couldn’t keep up, know this: you are not alone. Whether you’re facing a diagnosis, a breakup, a loss, or just the ongoing stress of life, it’s okay to not have it all together.

Panic attacks can look different for everyone. And sometimes, the first step to healing is simply recognizing what’s happening.

If you’re looking for more support in understanding your body’s response to stress or trauma, that’s what I’m here for at Moxie Wellness. You’ve got more strength in you than you think, and you don’t have to figure it out alone.