Let yourself panic. It’s ok. What’s the worst that can happen? You panic, right?
Panic, anxiety, and fear are just emotions. Interestingly, we are all raised to suppress and hide what’s fundamental to who we are.
Trying to control emotion can end up making us feel miserable. Ironically, allowing ourselves to feel unpleasant emotions, like anxiety and panic, invites them in and reduces feelings of being overwhelmed. The very act of trying to suppress the emotion makes us feel it more intensely.
Also see the ironic rebound effect and my five second insights into emotion.