The Biology of Panic

The Biology of Panic handout explains what is actually happening in the body during anxiety, panic, and overwhelming distress — helping people understand why panic feels so intense and what can be done to reduce it. Using clear explanations and practical examples, this resource breaks down the fight/flight response, hyperventilation, carbon dioxide depletion, adrenaline, and the role of the sympathetic nervous system in panic.

Rather than simply telling people to “calm down”, this worksheet explains the physiology behind distress and teaches practical strategies that work with the body’s nervous system response. It explores how hyperventilation can intensify panic symptoms, why inaction can accidentally amplify distress, and how targeted interventions such as pause breathing and burst exercise can help restore balance quickly.

This resource is ideal for:

• Panic attacks and anxiety
• Trauma and PTSD recovery
• Psychoeducation in therapy
• Emotion regulation and distress tolerance
• Frontline workers and high-stress professions
• Clients who want to understand the “why” behind their symptoms

Designed to make complex physiology easy to understand, this handout combines neuroscience, practical skills, and visual learning to help people feel less afraid of their anxiety response and more confident managing it.

Includes:

• Easy-to-understand explanations of panic physiology
• Visual diagrams of the fight/flight response
• Pause breathing instructions
• Burst exercise strategies
• Practical psychoeducation for therapy or self-help use

Developed by Dr Al Griskaitis and Jessica O'Garr for The Psych Collective