Peer support, not treatment. Everything here comes from people describing what they personally lived through. Nobody is a verified therapist, doctor or mental-health professional. If you need clinical care, please also speak to a professional — see safety resources.
What I went through
Panic attacks that started on the Northern line and spread to anywhere enclosed.
My lowest point
Turning down a job I wanted because I couldn't guarantee I could get there.
What helped
Understanding what adrenaline actually does to a body. Then going one stop. Then two. Not being brave — being boringly incremental.
What changed
Panic stopped being a threat and became an unpleasant weather event.
Where I am now
I commute daily and haven't had a full attack in two years.
My message to anyone in it right now
Avoidance feels like safety and it is the thing that grows it. Start smaller than feels worth doing.