By this definition panic can also be a instinctive (and rational) action -- sometimes just breaking paralysis and doing something is a statistically better than

By this definition panic can also be a instinctive (and rational) action -- sometimes just breaking paralysis and doing something is a statistically better than freezing in place. So it serves as an early interruption mechanism when the system doesn't have confidence that new solutions will be forthcoming in time to be useful.