What’s The Difference Between A Panic Attack And An Anxiety Attack?
A panic attack is an overwhelming feeling of fear, anxiety or discomfort. Panic attacks are often one of the symptoms of an anxiety disorder called panic disorder. Sometimes, people might describe a panic attack as an anxiety attack, however, the latter is not actually a recognised medical term.
People may describe having an anxiety attack when they experience increased anxiety, or when they are experiencing a panic attack. In this article, we provide an overview of anxiety and panic attacks. You can also find more information on panic disorder in one of our other articles .
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is a feeling of unease, such as worry or fear, that can be mild or severe. Everyone has feelings of anxiety at some point in their life, but an anxiety disorder is different. For a person with an anxiety disorder, the anxiety may feel like it doesn’t go away and can get worse over time.
The feelings can interfere with daily activities such as job performance, school work, and relationships. Anxiety disorders form a category of mental health diagnoses, and encompass a range of disorders, including generalised anxiety disorder, specific phobia, social anxiety disorder, and illness anxiety. Panic disorder, whereby people experience ongoing difficulties with panic attacks, is also a type of anxiety disorder
What does a panic attack feel like?
A Panic attack is a brief episode of intense anxiety or fear, accompanied by physical symptoms such as a racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, trembling and muscle tension. Panic attacks tend to come on suddenly and can last for around 5-10 minutes.
Panic attacks can be one-off, or several panic attacks can occur in quick succession, making it feel like one long panic attack. Someone experiencing a panic attack can sometimes fear they are experiencing a heart attack.
What to do if you experience a panic attack?
This is what you can try at the time the main symptoms occur:
Focus your attention on something outside your body and symptoms, such as counting backwards in threes from 100
Remind yourself that the symptoms of a panic attack are frightening, but not life threatening.
What sort of treatments are available for panic attacks, panic disorder, anxiety attacks and anxiety disorders?
Treatments for anxiety disorders, including panic attacks or panic disorder can include:
Medications (prescribed by a medical practitioner)
Psychotherapy, including cognitive behavioural therapy
Stress management techniques
Breathing techniques
Relaxation techniques
Learning problem-solving skills
Lifestyle adjustments, such as attention to diet, exercise and sleep.
When to seek treatment for anxiety and panic?
Many people feel anxious, stressed, and experience fear and anxiety at different times throughout their lives. This does not necessarily mean you need to seek treatment from a doctor or mental health professional to manage your anxiety.
If you are experiencing recurring and unexpected panic attacks and persistent fears of repeated attacks, you may have panic disorder, a type of anxiety disorder. You should make an appointment with your doctor or mental health professional to discuss a treatment plan.
Similarly, people experiencing symptoms of anxiety that are causing significant distress and/or are interfering with day-to-day functioning may want to consider seeking treatment. Psychological treatment can help a person understand their triggers for anxiety, and manage anxiety symptoms.