Cognitive-behavioral theories posit that panic attacks and panic disorder are the product of inaccurate beliefs about the dangerousness of arousal-related body sensations such as heart palpitations, dizziness, and shortness of breath. Individuals with panic disorder often misinterpret these anxiety symptoms as likely to lead to health catastrophes such as a heart attack, stroke, suffocation, or insanity. Effective psychological treatment aims to correct such misinterpretations by helping individuals learn that their anxiety-related body sensations are not dangerous.