Panic Attacks

Many people use the terms anxiety attack and panic attack to mean the same thing.  In most cases, the use of these terms as interchangeable is okay, but there is in fact a difference between panic attacks and anxiety.

From a clinical perspective, both panic and anxiety are defined by different features.  The term anxiety attack is not actually a phrase used among professionals.  In actuality, a panic attack is just a symptom associated with panic disorder, a type of anxiety disorder.  An anxiety disorder is any mental disorder characterized by a significant amount of anxiety.  Panic disorder, then is a type of anxiety disorder that often causes panic attacks.  Anxiety attacks, then, should refer only to the common symptoms of anxiety in an individual.

In addition to panic disorder, anxiety disorders include phobias, Obsessive-compulsive disorder, separation anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder.  Phobias are the most common form of anxiety disorder in Americans, and can often trigger a panic attack or symptoms of anxiety.

The biggest differences between panic attacks and anxiety symptoms are the severity and length of symptoms associated with both.  The rest of this article will break down both panic attacks and anxiety:

Panic Attack

Symptoms during a panic attack are usually very sudden and intense.  They also do not last for a very long time, and usually end within 10-20 minutes.  Common symptoms of panic attacks include:

- heart palpitations, increased heart rate, trouble breathing, or choking

- chest pain/discomfort

- sweating, trembling, or shaking

- dizziness, feelings of unreality and detachment

- fear of losing control, going crazy, or dying

- numbness, chills, or hot flushes

Anxiety

Conversely, symptoms of anxiety take a while to develop, and may be worse depending on how much the individual is worried.  While some symptoms are very similar to panic attacks, they are considerable less intense.  These symptoms may last days, weeks, or even months, as they are associated not necessarily with a specific situation or entity, but from a variety of sources.  Some symptoms include:

- Muscle tension

- Increased heart rate, startle response, and shortness of breath

- Restlessness, fatigue, and insomnia

- Difficulty concentrating, feeling distracted

- Personality changes such as increased irritability, anger, and detachment

An anxiety disorder such as panic disorder can usually be treated through therapy, medication, or relaxation techniques.  Using these treatments can reduce the negative symptoms associated with an anxiety disorder.  As an anxiety disorder is chronic and debilitating, it is important to seek treatment for them as soon as possible.  It just may be the difference between living the life with anxiety and living your life the way that you want to.

Anxiety Disorders

Walking into the office, your heart pounding heavily, you walk into your boss’s office.  You have not slept all night, as you were unable to fall sleep, worrying about the mysterious text message you received summoning you to this encounter late last night.  Experiencing shortness of breath, you walk in, only to discover that you have been given a raise!  “All that anxiety for nothing,” you mutter under your breath.  Now, the rest of your work day is torn between your lack of energy due to your lack of sleep and your renewed vigor stemming from your raise that will add up to being able to afford an extra Red Bull per day!

As you can see anxiety is present in all different aspects of life.  You may experience anxiety in your work, schooling, or family.  Anxiety is defined as a mental disorder characterized by a constant or severe worrying or fear.  One can experience anxiety due to many different things, and better understanding anxiety can help you get one step closer to overcoming it.

An individual suffering from a constant anxiety affecting their life may be suffering from an anxiety disorder.  An anxiety disorder is defined as a debilitating chronic condition that shows during times of high stress and anxiety, characterized by symptoms of headache, sweating, spasms, palpitations, fatigue, and exhaustion.  An anxiety disorder is often comorbid with other mental disorders such as depression, as they stem from similar mental vulnerabilities.

There are many different types of anxiety disorders, most of which fall under 6 main types.  The rest of this article will focus on highlighting those 6 types of anxiety disorders:

1.  Generalized Anxiety Disorder

A generalized anxiety disorder is the most common type of anxiety disorder.  It is characterized by an non-specific constant fear and worry and being overly concerned about normal matters.

2.  Panic Disorder

Often confused with an anxiety attack, a panic disorder is characterized by occasional panic attacks.  These panic attacks usually induce symptoms of trembling, shaking, confusion, dizziness, nausea, and shortness of breath.  Many different things can cause a panic attack, including stress, exercise, or phobias.  For an individual to be diagnosed with a panic attack, they must experience persistent anxiety over the appearance of these panic attacks, to the point where they can not function correctly.

3.  Phobias

The largest category of anxiety disorders are phobias.  Phobias are cases of an anxiety disorder that relate to fear triggered by one specific thing.  For example, arachnophobia is the fear of spiders.  Agoraphobia is the anxiety of being in a situation where there is no clear path of escape.  Social anxiety disorder is the fear of society, characterized by an intense fear or anxiety of humiliation in public.

4.  Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Obsessive compulsive disorder is a type of anxiety disorder that is characterized by obsessions and compulsions.  In many cases, people suffering from OCD may suffer from a compulsion that is inexplicable, as they may experience nervousness and need to relieve it through ritual.

5.  Post-traumatic stress disorder

Also known as PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder that develops following a traumatic experience.  Common symptoms include flashbacks, depression, and avoidant behaviors.

6.  Separation anxiety

People suffering from separation anxiety disorder can not deal with being separated from a person or a place.  It occurs often in children and babies, but needs to be excessive for it be considered a disorder.  It affects 7% of adults and 4% of children.