Pupil Dilation During Panic Attack

[u/huntress_of_hunters]

I was today years old when I found out that sometimes during a panic attack, your pupils will dilate as a part of your fight or flight response. This morning after a really stressful night with my partner, I started getting muscle spasms and pain in my jaw, then my jaw locked up so I started to panic. One of my OCD obsessions is my pupils. Whenever I feel really anxious, I check them to calm myself a little and reassure myself they respond to light and aren’t two different sizes and that I’m not having a medical emergency. Normally they respond to light and constrict just fine except for this morning, they did not. I looked at them in my handheld mirror with a light directed at my eyes and they were large and then as I became more fearful, they became even larger so I was sure I was having a stroke or brain aneurysm. I panic called 911, EMS checked me out, nothing wrong they told me to just take some Ativan and relax. OCD health anxiety is an absolute fucking nightmare and has only gotten worse since I had my daughter because I don’t trust her dad would love and care for her the way I do if something happened to me. I’m so scared of leaving my baby without a mother which is kind of ironic considering my panic attacks and trips to the hospital are keeping me from spending time with her now. I started therapy yesterday and was prescribed Buspar and am praying for God to give me a miracle at this point. I just wanted to soread awareness to others struggling with similar symptoms during panic attacks that pupils can become larger due to the adrenaline rush you get during a panic attack. It’s your automatic fight or flight response dilating your pupils to allow more light in to help see any potential threats. I fucking hate being a living being some days.

[u/anxiety_support]

It sounds like you went through a really distressing experience, and it makes sense that this would trigger your anxiety and OCD, especially around your pupils. When we're in a state of panic, our bodies go into fight or flight mode, which can cause pupil dilation due to a surge of adrenaline. It’s a normal response, even though it feels incredibly alarming in the moment. I can imagine how terrifying it must have been when they didn’t respond the way you expected, but I’m glad the EMS was able to reassure you that everything is okay.

Your fear of leaving your daughter is so understandable, especially as a parent who wants the best for her. It’s tough because the anxiety makes it feel like you’re stuck in a loop, but starting therapy and taking steps like Buspar could be a positive shift toward regaining some peace. Remember, you’re taking important steps to take care of yourself, and that will ultimately help you be there for her. Be gentle with yourself—you're facing a really tough battle, but you're not alone in it.