subject: What Is The Difference Between Panic And Anxiety Attacks? Answered! [print this page] In many articles in print or over the internet, it is very noticeable that panic and anxiety attacks are two terms that are used interchangeably. Based on semantics, they are almost the same. They are just almost the same, because they convey meanings that are alike but not really the same. What is the difference between panic and anxiety attacks then?
The difference between the two is typically just their intensity. In the medical field, a panic attack is defined as a sudden and usually extreme feeling of anxiety. Because it is sudden, it usually lasts for a few minutes. It peaks at around 10 minutes and begins to subside.
Someone who's in panic attack has a combination of a couple of very adverse symptoms. Some of the symptoms observed are tachycardia, bradycardia, excessive sweating, among many others. In a worst case scenario, fainting and cardiac arrest may be experienced.
In contrast, an anxiety attack is milder. Moreover, it is not necessarily sudden. In fact, it is usually a manifestation of issues and problems that aggregated over a period of time. Sometimes, it is also brought about by a situation that could be a little frightening; like an upcoming exam or a job interview.
Furthermore, an anxiety attack cannot be considered as a disorder, because it still qualifies as a normal reaction to stressors. It is expected that when the body is exposed to something that could possibly harm it, it will go to a fight or flight mode. The body activates its own sympathetic nervous response and the effect can be called an anxiety attack.
Some of the manifestations of an anxiety attack are muscle tension, insomnia and loose bowel movement. It is noteworthy that these manifestations are not necessarily alarming and can be tolerated by anyone in good mental and physical health. Furthermore, anxiety attacks usually do not end unless that thing or situation that caused the anxiety is removed.
So you see now that an anxiety attack is much less severe than a panic attack. However, if you do not resolve your anxieties they may escalate to a panic attack. Consequently, if these panic attacks are not treated, they become a disorder.
So what is the difference between panic and anxiety attacks? More or less, there are no major differences at all. However, between an anxiety attack versus panic attack, I would really rather just have an anxiety attack.
