EMOTION THESAURUS

PANIC



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HELPFUL TIP:

The inner landscape of your characters (especially your protagonist) is the lifeblood that runs through your story. Emotions, and how they're expressed, are tied deeply to a character’s personality and which positive traits and negative traits will manifest. To bring your readers in deeper through shared experience, consider filtering the setting descriptions through your character’s emotions while also exploring important colors, textures, and shapes through his or her senses.
DEFINITION:
A sudden and incapacitating fear that produces neurotic or illogical behavior

PHYSICAL SIGNALS AND BEHAVIORS:
Quick, shallow breathing
Eyes that are wide, with white showing around the whole iris
Hyperventilating
Squeezing the eyes shut
Clenching and unclenching the fists
Folding the body over and making oneself small
Rubbing at one's throat
Veins standing out in one's neck
Loosening a tie or unfastening collar buttons
Involuntary moans or whimpers
Being on edge (jumping at sounds, difficulty concentrating, etc.)
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INTERNAL SENSATIONS:
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MENTAL RESPONSES:
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CUES OF ACUTE OR LONG TERM PANIC:
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MAY ESCALATE TO:
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CUES OF SUPPRESSED PANIC:
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MAY DE-ESCALATE TO:
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ASSOCIATED POWER VERBS:
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