A key technique of cognitive behavioral therapy for panic disorder is interoceptive exposure, where patients learn to tolerate the physical effects of panic attacks through repeated simulated exposure. Now, scientists have shown in a randomized controlled trial that brief intermittent intensive exercise is more effective at reducing the severity of panic disorder than relaxation therapy.
Who would have thought flight during stressful situations would actually help lower their panic? Seems a little counterintuitive, acting on an immediate survival mechanism.