Your heart pounds. Your vision blurs. You hear the rush of blood in your ears as everything

becomes way too bright and way too hot. You wonder if you're going to faint or totally

lose your senses. What's going on?

Welcome back to Savi Psychologist. I'm your host Dr. Jade Wu. Every week I'll help

you meet life's challenges with evidence-based research, a sympathetic ear, and zero judgment.

Today we'll dig into the science of panic attacks, why they happen, and what to do about them.

Did you know that almost a quarter of Americans have had a panic attack? And this includes

people who seem to have it all together too. ABC News correspondent Dan Harris, poor guy,

even had a panic attack on Good Morning America in front of five million viewers. He described

the experience like this. I was overtaken by a massive, irresistible blast of fear. It felt

like the world was ending. My heart was thumping. I was gasping for air. I had pretty much lost

the ability to speak. That sounds terrifying. Anyone who's had a panic attack can probably

relate to just how sudden, and scary, and desperate it feels when you're in the middle

of one. Now, I myself have only had a handful of panic attacks in my life. And the most intense

one, I'll never forget. It happened when I was pregnant and touring a daycare for the

first time. Out of nowhere, my whole body got hot and tingly, and a sense of dread began

to well up. And my vision went bright white to the point where I almost couldn't see anymore.

But the funny thing was, nobody else, including my husband and the multiple adults I was actively

conversing with, even noticed that I was having a panic attack until a few minutes into it.

And then it was only because I told them. And if you watched the Dan Harris ABC News footage,

you'll similarly notice a lack of drama. He's not screaming, not hyperventilating or

riving around. There is some bewilderment in his eyes, and he looks a little sheepish,

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