Panicking

/ˈpænɪkɪŋ/ verb

Definition

Feeling sudden extreme fear or anxiety that makes you lose control and act without thinking clearly.

Etymology

From Greek 'panikos,' meaning 'of Pan' (the Greek god of chaos and wild nature). The word was coined to describe sudden, inexplicable fear, as if caused by the god Pan himself.

Kelly Says

Panic literally comes from the name of a chaotic Greek god—and interestingly, panic freezes your thinking brain and activates your survival brain, so it's not actually irrational chaos but ancient survival programming kicking in.

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