In a state of sudden, overwhelming fear or anxiety that impairs rational thinking. It describes the feeling of being unable to think clearly due to intense fright or alarm.
From Greek 'panikos,' referring to the god Pan who was believed to cause sudden, groundless fear. The psychological meaning developed in the 18th century, emphasizing the sudden and irrational nature of the fear response.
Panic represents our most primitive alarm system gone haywire - it's designed to save us from immediate physical danger, but modern triggers like public speaking can activate the same 'fight-or-flight' response that once helped us escape predators. The irony is that panic often makes us less capable of handling the very situation that triggered it.
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