I like your metaphor of describing a panic attack like being in a room without exits. That's exactly how my panic attacks felt like. I had my first panic attack 16 years ago. It was the result of breaking up with my then fiance. Then I didn't have one for a very long time. Then I started having them in 2004. They were infrequent. Therapy and medication management helped me deal with my panic attacks much better. I haven't had a panic attack in a long while. I know my mental illness is due to past trauma in my life. Healing those wounds helped tremendously. Also I have learned to deal with my panic attacks much better these days. They are much shorter now. Therapy helped a lot.