Anxiety Attack vs. Panic Attack
What Is a Panic Attack?
Feelings of fear and intense physical reactions to regular, non-threatening events characterize panic attacks.
When you experience panic attacks, you may not know why you’re having unexplained, overwhelming feelings that disrupt your daily life.
Panic attacks trigger feelings of intense fear that can develop into physical symptoms like sweating or a racing heart. A panic attack is your body’s reaction to a real or imagined threat or danger.
The symptoms of a panic attack reach their peak within a short period and will disappear soon after. Yet, you may have more attacks hours after your first panic attack occurs. The result of a panic attack is that you may avoid specific places or situations to avoid having another panic attack.
Not everyone who has a panic attack will develop a panic disorder.
What Are Some Panic Disorders?
If you have a panic disorder, you may have an overwhelming, persistent dread of having another panic attack, which is called agoraphobia.
A panic disorder is defined as an anxiety disorder that consists of numerous unexpected panic attacks and isn’t linked to a different mental health disorder or a physical issue.
However, other mood and anxiety disorders associated with panic attacks include:
- Bipolar disorder
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Social anxiety disorder
Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder that occurs more often in women than in men. The symptoms of panic disorder usually start in late teens or early adulthood. Being diagnosed with a panic disorder or a panic attack isn’t uncommon. Approximately 2-3% of the population is affected.
Panic disorder is thought to be connected with the following:
- Genetics: A family history of panic disorder increases the chances of being diagnosed with panic disorder.
- Stressors: Life events like the death of a loved one, divorce, or loss of a job can increase the risk of developing a panic disorder.
- Environment: Where you live and what you’re exposed to can increase the risk.
- Change in brain chemical levels: Chemicals like serotonin, a vital chemical in your nervous system functioning, help maintain and regulate moods, decrease anxiety, and promote sleep.
Those with panic disorder are at a higher risk of suicidal ideation. If you have thoughts of self-harm, seek immediate help by calling or texting 988.
What Is an Anxiety Attack?
An anxiety attack is an overwhelming feeling of dread, uneasiness, or fear.
Anxiety attacks can cause feelings of restlessness, tension, or physical symptoms such as lightheadedness and muscle tension. Many of the symptoms of an anxiety attack are similar to the symptoms of a panic attack or disorder.
What Are Some Anxiety Disorders?
An anxiety disorder is when your feelings of fear, stress, panic, or anxiety don’t go away; they affect you constantly in specific situations, and your symptoms can become increasingly worse over time.
Some examples of anxiety disorders include:
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) often has symptoms similar to other anxiety disorders like panic disorder, but it is different than any other anxiety disorder.Your feelings may not always take over your life, but you may experience extreme worry about your friends or family’s safety or dread that something terrible will happen.
- Social Anxiety Disorder: Social anxiety disorder can adversely affect your relationships. You may experience excessive fear and anxiety in social situations. Because of the intense fear, you may find ways to avoid events or being with others. Social anxiety disorder interferes with your relationships, work, school, and daily activities or hobbies you once enjoyed.
- Phobias: An intense fear of something that poses little to no danger is a phobia. For example, fear of spiders, being in crowded places, or social situations (social anxiety) are phobias.
How Do I Know if I’m Having a Panic or Anxiety Attack?
You can tell if you’re having a panic or an anxiety attack based on the way your symptoms appear.
Panic attacks are sudden, uncontrollable, and intense, with symptoms reaching their peak in a few minutes. In contrast, anxiety attacks, a term not recognized by the DSM-5-TR, are less intense and gradually build up.
What Is an Example of a Panic Attack vs. an Anxiety Attack?
Panic attacks can occur without warning or reason, while anxiety attacks, on the other hand, are a reaction to a phobia or anxiety disorder.
Picture a day where you’re not doing anything out of the ordinary, when your chest suddenly feels tight, you can’t breathe, and you think you’re going to die. This is a panic attack.
If you have a fear of public speaking, you may have a build-up of symptoms as the day of the speech approaches. You may worry about embarrassing yourself, have sweaty hands, or have an urge not to show up. This is an anxiety attack.
Can You Have a Panic Attack and an Anxiety Attack at the Same Time?
Yes, you can have a panic attack and an anxiety attack at the same time.
Anxiety about a specific event or situation can increase the risk of a panic attack, while the symptoms of a panic attack can increase your anxiety.
When the symptoms of panic and anxiety attacks become life-threatening, you should seek help. Ocean View Psychiatric Health Facility provides crisis stabilization treatment for mental health conditions, including panic disorder and anxiety disorders.
Anxiety Attack vs. Panic Attack Symptoms & Causes
What Are the Symptoms of Anxiety?
Some of the numerous symptoms of anxiety include:
- Rapid heart rate or palpitations
- Headaches
- Shortness of breath
- Intrusive traumatic memories (post-traumatic stress disorder)
- Racing thoughts
- Fearing the worst
- Compulsive behavior
Stress and anxiety affect stress hormones (cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline). These stress hormones are linked to your fight-or-flight-or-freeze response.
How Long Does an Anxiety Attack Last?
The length of an anxiety attack can last from 5 to 30 minutes.
Sometimes, though, it can last for an hour or more.
What Are Common Symptoms of a Panic Attack?
Panic attacks happen without warning and have the following common physical symptoms:
- Tightness in the chest or chest pain
- Increased heart rate
- Hyperventilation or trouble breathing
- Chills
- Nausea
- Shaking or trembling
- Numbness or tingling in toes or fingers
- Sweating
Other common symptoms include:
- A choking or feeling of being smothered
- Fear of losing control
- Extreme terror
- Feeling like you’re going to die (fear of dying)
- Feeling detached from yourself
- Derealization (feeling things aren’t real)
How Long Does a Panic Attack Last?
A panic attack can last between 5 and 20 minutes.
Some people have reported that their attack has lasted up to an hour.
Anxiety Attack vs. Panic Attack Difference
What Is the Difference Between a Panic Attack and an Anxiety Attack?
The key differences between a panic attack and an anxiety attack are that panic attacks are sudden, intense episodes of fear that last for a few minutes, while an anxiety attack is a gradual development of worry or fear that is linked to a particular event or stressor.
Anxiety attacks last longer than panic attacks, while panic attacks are sudden, uncontrollable feelings of intense fear or worry.
With panic attacks, people experience symptoms such as:
- Racing heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea
- Fear of dying
Anxiety attack symptoms can include:
- Persistent feeling of dread
- Fatigue
- Restlessness
- Difficulty concentrating
The DSM-5-TR recognizes panic attacks and states they can be expected or unexpected. People who have unexpected panic attacks may not be able to identify a cause. Stressors, like a phobia, trigger expected panic attacks.
What Are the Causes of Anxiety Attacks & Panic Attacks?
Several different factors, including mental health disorders and medical conditions, can cause panic attacks and anxiety attacks.
Triggers of panic attacks can include:
- Traumatic or stressful events
- Phobias
- Anxiety disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Substance use
- Thyroid problems
- Medications such as stimulants and antidepressants
- Medical conditions like asthma and cardiovascular issues
- Crowded areas
Causes of anxiety attacks may include:
- Life stressors
- Social situations
- Stressful/frightening information
- Genetics
- Imbalances in the brain’s chemistry
- Medical conditions like thyroid or heart conditions
What Triggers an Anxiety Attack vs. a Panic Attack?
Anxiety attacks, unlike panic attacks, have known causes like sleep problems, financial stress, and poor nutrition.
The root causes of anxiety attacks are connected to an individual’s phobias, life stressors, physical health, or other mental health conditions.
In contrast, panic attacks are unexpected, intense episodes that peak within a few minutes.
How Do Our Bodies Decide Which Response to Have?
Everyone’s body decides if it’s experiencing panic or anxiety based on the proximity in time of the real or unreal threat.
Anxiety attacks are your body’s response to a future, specific threat, such as public speaking. The response is associated with the brain’s prefrontal cortex, the part responsible for pre-planning.
Panic attacks are overwhelming, severe responses to real or unreal current threats. They’re connected with the amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for the fight-or-flight response.
Can Anxiety Trigger Panic?
Yes, anxiety can trigger a panic attack.
When you worry about having a panic attack, you can initiate a cycle of events that fulfills your anxiety about having a panic attack.
Diagnosing Panic Attacks vs. Anxiety Attacks
What Triggers a Panic Attack?
Panic attacks are caused by several factors, including:
- Stressors
- Traumatic events
- Phobias
- Anxiety disorders
- Panic disorder
- Sudden changes in environment
- Medications
- Unhealthy beliefs or thoughts
Internal cues like emotions, physical feelings, or unexplained sensations, stress, fear of having another panic attack, or an underlying medical condition can be linked with triggering a panic attack.
How Are Panic Attacks Diagnosed?
To find out if you had a panic attack or if you have a panic disorder, you should talk with your doctor or mental health professional.
A professional will perform a comprehensive evaluation that includes:
- Questions about your family’s medical and mental health history
- A physical exam
- Blood tests for thyroid problems and other conditions
- Cardiovascular health tests
- Panic disorder test
You may be receiving mental health treatment, such as psychotherapy, to help you with your panic disorder symptoms. However, there are times when your panic disorder or panic attack symptoms require acute psychiatric stabilization. Ocean View Psychiatric Health Facility provides effective treatment through our individualized symptom stabilization care.
Can a Blood Test Detect Panic Attacks?
No, a blood test can’t detect a panic attack.
Panic attacks are personal experiences and aren’t connected with a physical cause. While blood tests can’t detect panic attacks, they can rule out any physical or medical causes for a panic attack.
What Triggers Anxiety Attacks?
Anxiety attacks are triggered by extreme or overwhelming fear or worry about a specific event or situation.
Anxiety attacks occur because of a fear or worry that builds up. Often, an anxiety attack is associated with a phobia or an anxiety or mood disorder. For some, the thought of going to a social event can develop symptoms of sweating, nausea, and social isolation.
How Are Anxiety Attacks Diagnosed?
Anxiety attacks are diagnosed with a comprehensive evaluation that includes a physical exam, questions about your family’s medical and mental health history, and a psychological evaluation.
Anxiety Attack vs. Panic Attack: Finding Treatment
When Should I See My Healthcare Provider?
When the symptoms of panic or anxiety attacks hurt your life by disrupting the quality of your life, personal relationships, or negatively impacting your social, educational, or professional life, you should seek help.
If the symptoms are severe and can endanger you or others, Ocean View Psychiatric Health Facility’s crisis stabilization unit provides safe, supportive care.
What Is the Best Treatment for Anxiety Attacks?
The best treatment for anxiety attacks includes:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Antidepressants help regulate brain chemicals and reduce anxiety symptoms.
- Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and grounding techniques help calm you down
- Making your health a priority with healthy changes to your diet, adding exercise, and focusing on sleep can decrease the risk of anxiety attacks
What Is the Best Treatment for Panic Attacks?
The treatment of panic attacks includes treatment options that include psychological and pharmacological treatments.
You may be receiving mental health treatment, such as psychotherapy, to help you with your panic disorder symptoms. However, there are times when your panic disorder or panic attack symptoms require acute psychiatric stabilization. Ocean View Psychiatric Health Facility provides effective treatment through our individualized symptom stabilization care.
Our inpatient and outpatient care includes psychoeducational and recreation-based therapies, as well as medication stabilization and management.
What Medications Help With Panic and Anxiety Attacks?
Antidepressants are the most effective medications for panic and anxiety attacks because they help regulate the brain’s chemistry and reduce the symptoms of anxiety disorders and attacks.
Should I go to the ER if I’m having an Attack?
Yes, you should go to the ER if you’re experiencing severe symptoms such as:
- Chest pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Pounding heart
Don’t hesitate to go to the ER if you have any of these symptoms because some of the symptoms of a panic attack are similar to those of a heart attack. Additionally, if you’re unsure of the cause or it’s your first panic attack, going to the ER to be evaluated is recommended.
FAQs
Can a panic attack damage your heart?
No, a panic attack doesn’t typically damage your heart.
Panic attacks do increase your heart rate and blood pressure, but those changes are temporary and do not create long-term damage.
What is a silent panic attack?
A silent panic attack is when the signs of intense fear aren’t visible.
Instead, you may have symptoms such as:
- Intense dread
- Shortness of breath
- Difficulty focusing
- Tingling of toes or fingers
What will they do at the ER if I go in after a panic attack?
When you go to an ER after a panic attack, they will evaluate to rule out severe medical conditions like a heart attack, check your vital signs, and give you treatment to help stabilize your symptoms.
Can a panic attack cause a heart attack?
No, a panic attack can’t be the direct cause of a heart attack.
Panic attacks do not damage the heart muscle or block blood flow into it.
Can my doctor give me anything for a panic attack?
Yes, your doctor can prescribe medications such as antidepressants for panic attacks, as well as beta blockers to manage your rapid or racing heart rate.
Can anxiety attacks turn into panic attacks?
Yes, anxiety attacks can turn into panic attacks.
How do I calm down an anxiety attack?
Anxiety attacks can be severe and sudden, but they can be managed by taking these steps:
- Deep breathing: Deep, measured breathing exercises can guide and refocus your thoughts.
- Grounding techniques: Lying or sitting on the floor while taking deep breaths can help ground you.
- Exercise: Exercise teaches you to listen to and respond to your body. It also shifts the focus away from what is triggering your symptoms.
Can a blood test detect panic attacks?
No, a blood test doesn’t detect panic attacks.
Blood tests help diagnose or rule out physical or medical conditions that may have symptoms similar to a panic attack.
How can I help someone having a panic attack?
Helping someone having a panic attack is possible if you:
- Stay calm
- Reassure them
- Guide them to take deep breaths
- Ask them to focus on the length of their breath (slow, deep breaths)
- Find a quiet, comfortable space for them to sit down