FLOCK,
As everyone has stated, PLEASE ask ATC for assistance as soon as you realize that you are in trouble, the longer you wait the worse your situation may become. My least worry would be, am I going to get in trouble for this.
Basically here is what we will do, the steps will depend slightly on how panicked or calm you are:
1. Give you a discrete transponder code and radar identify you, and determine your position, and altitiude. We will tell you the minimum safe altitude for obstruction clearance in your area.
2. Stress that you TRUST your instruments, and keep the plane straight and level. RELAX, trust us, and believe your instruments!
3. Try to Calm you down, and ask about your pilot qualifications, experience, and FUEL Situation.
4. Provide vectors to the closest airport, or area that is reporting VFR conditions. As someone mentioned this may mean being vectored over water where you can descend back down into VFR conditions. Any turns (vectors) that you are given, we will tell you to make slow gradual turns (half rate) to help prevent you from getting vertigo and ending up in a spin or worse. We normally won't ask you to climb/descend and turn at the same time unless it is absolutely necessary.
5. Have you Call us once you are safely on the ground so that we can relax, too.
Seriously, we are here to help you, not to violate you. Our goal is to help you get safely back into VFR condtions and on the ground.
Mike R
NATCA FWA