"I am going to have a heart attack." "My body cannot take this." "I will stop breathing." These are the thoughts that come when the physical symptoms of fear kick in. You interpret a racing heart as a sign of imminent physical collapse.
Let's look at the physiology. Fear releases adrenaline. This is fuel. It is designed to help you run faster or fight harder. It increases your heart rate to pump oxygen to your muscles. It makes you sweat to cool your body down during exertion. It makes you breathe faster to get more air. These are not symptoms of dying. They are symptoms of a body preparing to survive.
Think about a roller coaster. People scream. Their hearts pound. They are terrified. Does anyone die of a heart attack from the emotion? No. Think about a gym workout. Your heart rate goes up to 150 or 160. Do you panic? No. You know it is exercise. On the plane your body is doing the exact same thing but you are interpreting it as danger because you are sitting still.
This error often comes from childhood experiences where you were left alone in your fear. If you were never soothed then panic felt life-threatening. It felt like your little body would break. But you are an adult now. Your body is strong. An emotion only lasts about 90 seconds chemically if you do not feed it with scary thoughts. If you stop adding the "I am dying" story the physical wave will pass. It is uncomfortable but it is not dangerous.
