What does "spiralling" mean?

[Saluki]

I feel silly asking this question, but when someone tells me they're "spiralling", or saying "when I spiral", what does that mean?
I don't know what it means. Is it having a panic attack, or is it an ef or is it intrusive thoughts one can't control or is it a combination of many things? I hear the term a lot and I can't figure out if I "spiral" because I don't understand what it means.  People use this term a lot so I feel like I need to know what it means! Thank you!

[lowbudgetTV]

I would agree with you: I consider it something like a panic attack / uncontrollable situation.

It's like the phrase "spiraling out of control". I think of it like: something happened to this person, and they're coping with it poorly, doing unhelpful things. It can be regressing back to old, bad habits, or thinking too much about unhelpful things or people. It could also be like submitting to an addiction like buying too much stuff or eating unwell or hanging out with bad people.

In short, I think of it like a catch-all term for "not doing well; lots of bad things occurring; can't help it (easily)."