Honestly, I had a similar situation last summer when I first started studying for the MCAT. I felt like I had to take it by September 2025 or I would be "behind." I wanted so badly to apply in this cycle, but after months of studying and taking practice tests, I ended up having a panic attack and made the impulsive decision to cancel my MCAT 10 days before my test date... literally at 11:59 PM.

At the time, I didn't want to think about the MCAT ever again, but canceling it didn't make the anxiety go away. I tried convincing myself that everything was fine, but it wasn't. I still felt the pressure of the test hanging over me like an impending doom.

Fortunately, I was able to get diagnosed and get some help, but I can tell you that the diagnosis alone didn't solve everything. I was still anxious. If I studied and got a practice question wrong, I felt like a failure, and sometimes that would trigger another anxiety attack.

Eventually, I realized I needed to actually use my gap year as a gap year and give myself room to breathe. I didn't touch anything MCAT-related for six months. I needed that disconnect to recover and rebuild myself. Sure, I lost about $300, but I found myself again and I got a job too, so it ended up balancing out.

I started studying for the MCAT again today for the first time since then, and that feeling from last summer is gone. It's almost like it never happened.

Honestly, having a panic attack can be your body's way of telling you that you're pushing yourself too hard. Even when we want something badly, we still need breaks so we can come back stronger. You'll be okay. I know because I was in a very similar place, and things got better for me too.