The Difference Between A Panic Attack And An Anxiety Attack

[noachleo]

The way people confuse panic attacks with anxiety attacks is quite alarming nowadays. I have personally experienced both but after all this time I have learned to tell them apart.


There are similarities for sure and also differences between anxiety and panic attacks. For instance an anxiety attack often comes in reaction to a stressor. lets say you're walking down a dark alley and hear footsteps, or you're at even the top of a rollercoaster and looking to go down that large hill.


An anxiety attack, people may feel fearful, apprehensive, may feel their heart racing or feel short of breath, but it's very short lived, and when the stressor goes away, so does the anxiety attack.


Panic attack on the other hand doesn't come in reaction to a stressor. It's unprovoked and unpredictable.


I would say that focusing on ways to tackle such attacks would be more of a profitable approach as opposed to getting too concerned about the differences between them.

 

[Kosta]

I have read what other members wrote here and have an impression that I could not distinguish those two attacks many times. They are pretty similar one to another and very unpleasant. Whatever I do at the moment of attack, I must stop immediately, because my mind becomes completely focused on bad and ugly thoughts. And I cannot think of anything else when it happens. Deep inside, I always feel a secret fear that an attack will start next moment and that is a big load in my life. Sometimes can be pretty hard to live together with this problem, and it might become a real obstacle for professional and personal growth.

 

[Turdburger]

The main difference I've noticed between anxiety and panic attacks is the severity level. Anxiety onsets are more mild than panic. The two feel very similar. Anxiety tends to creep up and get worse and worse, where panic rushes in. Both have a sensation of loss of control, things falling apart, helplessness, need to escape, etc. Anxiety happens much more often than panic, as well. Any time I am driving I get anxious. A person will be driving too fast, too slow, or too close. I get angry at the other drivers because if it wasn't for them I wouldn't have these feelings of encroachment and distress. Rational thought crumbles when colliding with irrational anxiety.

 

[Panic57]

Thanks for sharing the difference. I think that they can be really difficult to differentiate in the moment though. Sometimes I have anxiety attack and I don't realized that something triggered me so I think it's a really intense panic attack until later. Only when it passes and I really think about it do I realize that it was actually an anxiety attack because I was worried about something. It's really annoying because I can get worked up and stress myself out and cause an anxiety attack.

 

[Novelangel]

A couple years ago, I had a case of heat exhaustion. It was summer and I didn't feel very good so I thought a warm bath would feel really good. It did, but as soon as I got out of the tub, I started sweating buckets, and the room was spinning like crazy. Somehow I didn't fall down or pass out, and I recovered quickly enough, but I'm describing this because my panic attacks are very similar, just not quite as strong. I get dizzy, feel lightheaded, and feel like I need to sit down before I fall down. I have no idea what my triggers might be, but lucky for me, it doesn't happen very often.

 

[2deidara7]

An anxiety attack is brought on by a stressor. ie, hearing a loud bang, walking alone at night. Once the stressor is gone, so is the anxiety attack.
Common Symptoms of an anxiety attack:


-Nervousness


-Being easily startled


-Hot flashes


-Difficulty breathing


-Heart palpitations


-Rashes


-Irritability


-Restlessness/ fidgeting


-Muscle tension


-Headaches


-A consistent feeling of being stressed


-Lack of sleep


-Drained or fatigued


-Not waking up feeling rested


-Issues concentrating or completing tasks


-Not feeling "in your body".


Feeling as if you are in a dream and can't wake up out of it


On the other hand, a panic attack can happen suddenly without any immediate stressor.


Common symptoms of a panic attack:


-Feeling like you're going to die, or lose control


-Feeling like you're having a heart attack


-Having an assortment of physical symptoms similar to an anxiety attack which may include chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, and nausea.


-Feeling paralyzed by fear

Wow, thanks for explaining the difference of the two! I used to think that all anxiety attacks are panic attacks - that an anxiety attack is just a type of panic attack. I even often use them interchangeably. Now I know better, so thanks!

 

[stogian]

Great share! I think that a lot of people misuse those two terms and that's not right!

 

[clair02]

I used to get a lot of anxiety attacks and just always classified them as panic attacks. I don't really see the difference except in terms of severity. I'm all too familiar with that feeling of 'I'm going to die' and I guess when it's that bad, then it's a full blown panic attack. It's great to know the difference and understand that sometimes it's just an anxiety attack.

 

[kelden]

I think the subtle "key" difference between anxiety and panic is the timing and severity. Anxiety kicks in more often and last longer, it can be triggered for the mere thought and will deters you to do anything. Panic attack is a sudden and utter lost of control of yourself, you'll hyperventilate and try to run away or yell, It is usually triggered when the subject stumble across the stress source rather than just thinking of it. In a nutshell, thinking about it might cause anxiety, meet it physically might cause a panic attack.