20/01/2021
Anxiety versus panic know the difference.
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Please see below for Symptoms of an anxiety attack versus panic. During these uncertain times it’s good to know the difference or it may be able to help others. Happy reading!
An anxiety attack is an intense and/or extended period of anxiety. It is more severe than the simple feeling of anxiety but less severe than a panic attack. It can last anywhere from minutes to hours, even days and weeks.
It usually carries one or more of the following symptoms:
* Restlessness, feeling wound-up or on edge
* Being easily fatigued
* Difficulty concentrating or having your mind go blank
* Irritability
* Muscle tension
* Difficulty controlling worries
* Sleep problems (difficulty falling or staying asleep, or restless, unsatisfying sleep
*
* An Anxiety attack is a period of apprehension about possible future events. Sometimes an anxiety attack is the prelude to a panic attack.
Unlike panic attacks, anxiety attacks are not necessarily signs of an anxiety disorder. Anxiety is a natural response to certain stimuli or situations, and anxiety attacks are only more intense forms of that emotion.
Anxiety attacks often cause patterns of avoidance or excessive Caution. For example, someone who has experienced anxiety attacks because of social anxiety might avoid the places or situations that have made him or her anxious.
The Definition of a Panic Attack
Panic attacks are easy to define because there is a clinical consensus on the definition.
Here is an official definition from the DSM:
“A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause.”
Panic attack symptoms
Sometimes sufferers think they are having a heart attack. Some rush to the hospital because they don’t know it is a panic attack. They usually have at least a few of the following symptoms that usually last 10-15 minutes:
* Sense of impending doom or danger
* Fear of loss of control or death
* Rapid, pounding heart rate
* Sweating
* Trembling or shaking
* Shortness of breath or tightness in your throat
* Chills
* Hot flashes
* Nausea
* Abdominal cramping
* Chest pain
* Headache
* Dizziness, lightheadedness or faintness
* Numbness or tingling sensation
* Feeling of unreality or detachment
With panic attacks people usually feel a sense of immediate threat, Levine said. This causes them to respond by crying for help or trying to escape whatever predicament they are in.
Sometimes people only have one or two panic attacks in their lives. They usually happen under extreme amounts of stress or pressure.
Panic disorders
Repeatedly experiencing panic attacks is usually a symptom of panic disorder. If you have this issue, consider working with a mental health professional.
Certain traumatic events can eventually cause someone to develop panic disorder. Witnessing a sudden death can make people feel like they could die in a moment and at any time, causing panic attacks.
Why We Need To Make Sure People Understand the Difference
mental health professionals who mistakenly believed the terms “anxiety attack” and “panic attack” were synonymous. They were licensed professionals, but none of them had a specialty in anxiety. Because “anxiety attack” is not a clinical term, they assumed it was a synonym for “panic attack.” This caused them to use the terms interchangeably.
People who deal with anxiety attacks or panic attacks often make similar mistakes. Some suffer from panic attacks but use the term “anxiety attack” to describe their symptoms and vice versa.
This confusion is why potential therapy clients and other anxiety sufferers need to educate themselves or work with an anxiety specialist. If you don’t understand the terms and their differences, you might end up treating a panic disorder you don’t actually have. In the worst case scenario, you could become dependent on a medication you don’t need. That’s why it’s vital to seek out information about your specific condition and work with someone who is knowledgeable about the challenges that condition presents. interesting read about anxiety and panic and differentiating. It might be good to know especially in these uncertain times.
Symptoms of an anxiety attack
An anxiety attack is an intense and/or extended period of anxiety. It is more severe than the simple feeling of anxiety but less severe than a panic attack. It can last anywhere from minutes to hours, even days and weeks.
It usually carries one or more of the following symptoms:
* Restlessness, feeling wound-up or on edge
* Being easily fatigued
* Difficulty concentrating or having your mind go blank
* Irritability
* Muscle tension
* Difficulty controlling worries
* Sleep problems (difficulty falling or staying asleep, or restless, unsatisfying sleep
*
* An Anxiety attack is a period of apprehension about possible future events. Sometimes an anxiety attack is the prelude to a panic attack.
Unlike panic attacks, anxiety attacks are not necessarily signs of an anxiety disorder. Anxiety is a natural response to certain stimuli or situations, and anxiety attacks are only more intense forms of that emotion.
Anxiety attacks often cause patterns of avoidance or excessive Caution. For example, someone who has experienced anxiety attacks because of social anxiety might avoid the places or situations that have made him or her anxious.
The Definition of a Panic Attack
Panic attacks are easy to define because there is a clinical consensus on the definition.
Here is an official definition from the DSM:
“A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause.”
Panic attack symptoms
Sometimes sufferers think they are having a heart attack. Some rush to the hospital because they don’t know it is a panic attack. They usually have at least a few of the following symptoms that usually last 10-15 minutes:
* Sense of impending doom or danger
* Fear of loss of control or death
* Rapid, pounding heart rate
* Sweating
* Trembling or shaking
* Shortness of breath or tightness in your throat
* Chills
* Hot flashes
* Nausea
* Abdominal cramping
* Chest pain
* Headache
* Dizziness, lightheadedness or faintness
* Numbness or tingling sensation
* Feeling of unreality or detachment
With panic attacks people usually feel a sense of immediate threat, Levine said. This causes them to respond by crying for help or trying to escape whatever predicament they are in.
Sometimes people only have one or two panic attacks in their lives. They usually happen under extreme amounts of stress or pressure.
Panic disorders
Repeatedly experiencing panic attacks is usually a symptom of panic disorder. If you have this issue, consider working with a mental health professional.
Certain traumatic events can eventually cause someone to develop panic disorder. Witnessing a sudden death can make people feel like they could die in a moment and at any time, causing panic attacks.
Why We Need To Make Sure People Understand the Difference
mental health professionals who mistakenly believed the terms “anxiety attack” and “panic attack” were synonymous. They were licensed professionals, but none of them had a specialty in anxiety. Because “anxiety attack” is not a clinical term, they assumed it was a synonym for “panic attack.” This caused them to use the terms interchangeably.
People who deal with anxiety attacks or panic attacks often make similar mistakes. Some suffer from panic attacks but use the term “anxiety attack” to describe their symptoms and vice versa.
This confusion is why potential therapy clients and other anxiety sufferers need to educate themselves or work with an anxiety specialist. If you don’t understand the terms and their differences, you might end up treating a panic disorder you don’t actually have. In the worst case scenario, you could become dependent on a medication you don’t need. That’s why it’s vital to seek out information about your specific condition and work with someone who is knowledgeable about the challenges that condition presents.
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