As a healthcare professional with expertise in mental health, I can tell you that it is a common misconception that one can pass out or faint during a panic attack. However, this is not the case. While it is true that during a panic attack, the body undergoes a number of physiological changes that can lead to feelings of lightheadedness or dizziness, these sensations do not result in a loss of consciousness. The feeling of being unable to breathe or the fear of passing out is often due to hyperventilation, which is an overbreathing response that can alter the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood. This can cause symptoms such as lightheadedness, dizziness, and even chest pain, but it does not lead to passing out or suffocation. It's important to understand that while panic attacks can be very distressing, they are not life-threatening and do not pose a risk of suffocation. read more >>

This is impossible because you cannot pass out and suffocate. It feels like you can, because the mixture of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your bloodstream is out of proportion. That is why people feel weak, dizzy, lightheaded, and faint. Suffocation is not a possibility during a panic attack.read more >>