I have been trying to understand where the fear comes from, by smoking the salvia directly. I think that it must activate neurotransmitters close to the fear circuits somehow..

With a good positive attitude and experience these fear symptoms can be basicly defeated with ones own willpower.

You might be right that it is just a sudden ego loss, resulting in confusion and panic. Interestingly enough this is also what makes it so great..instant transcendance

the only thing to fear is fear itself