Psychological illness and stress are on the rise in today's rapid-paced era. Out of them, anxiety and panic attacks are most mixed up and interchangeably used. But there must be awareness about what is panic attack and what is anxiety attack so that proper treatment and management could be ensured.

Both are inducing intolerable anxiety and distress but differ in cause, symptoms, and duration. This article describes what is a panic attack, what is an anxiety attack, their causes, symptoms, treatments, and coping strategies.

What is a Panic Attack

Panic attack refers to a sudden development of acute fear or discomfort peaking in a couple of minutes. It is usually spontaneous and of unknown precipitating cause. Most people first ask, what is a panic attack, when they learn about its overwhelming somatic sensations.

They also have sudden onset of fear with the simultaneous physiological reactions like racing heart, shortness of breath, dizziness, and chest pain. People even mistake them due to symptoms, believing them to be heart attacks. Fight-or-flight response of the body becomes extremely hyperactive without danger. It's comforting to know how long does a panic attack last, usually the symptoms reach their peak in 10 minutes and then fade away in 20–30 minutes, but then they frighten or tire you.

What is an Anxiety Attack?

Unlike the panic attack, an anxiety attack is a reaction to a perceived threat or stressor. In responding to what an anxiety attack is, it is a condition of severe fear, apprehension, or anxiety that worsens with time. Anxiety attacks usually happen in anticipation of an oncoming stressful situation and not as long-lasting like panic attacks.

Symptoms of a panic attack are directed more towards hyper-tension and fear. The individual feels anxious, restless, muscle tense, and insomnia-stricken. Psychological symptoms of a panic attack tend to prevail, but headache, nausea, or palpitations as physical symptoms also occur.

Though not medical in nature, medical diagnoses, anxiety attacks are widely addressed in layman terms and in the mental health forums, like in the mainstream reddit forums debating panic attack vs anxiety attack.

Major Differences Between Panic and Anxiety Attacks

The distinction between anxiety attack and panic attack enables people to be suitably aided.

  • Onset: Panic attacks occur quite suddenly, whereas anxiety attacks arise.
  • Triggers: Panic attacks occur without any known trigger, whereas anxiety attacks have some known cause.
  • Duration: Panic attacks are brief (usually less than 30 minutes), whereas anxiety attacks last for hours and even days.
  • Symptoms: Physical symptoms of panic attack are sudden and severe, e.g., dizziness or choking sensation, whereas mental symptoms of anxiety attack include worry and fear that persists.
Panic disorder vs anxiety disorder symptom comparison finds that although both are related to fear, their onset, duration, and severity differentiate them.

Common Causes


Panic Attack Causes

Causes of panic attacks can be multiple and sometimes unidentified. They can be caused by:

  • Genetic composition
  • Chronic trauma or stress
  • Some phobias
  • Illicit drug abuse
  • Medical illness such as thyroid illnesses
Panic disorder individuals versus anxiety disorder individuals might have more frequent panic attacks at times without an apparent reason.

Causes of Anxiety Attacks

Causes of anxiety attacks is typically environmental or psychologic stress, for example:

  • Job or school stress
  • Financial stress
  • Medial illnesses
  • Dating or family problems
  • Trauma
Though anxiety attacks are more likely than panic attacks to be predictable, they will sometimes turn into panic attacks, so the question, can anxiety turn into a panic attack? The answer is yes; severe anxiety can turn into panic in susceptible individuals.


Comparison of Symptoms


Physical Panic Attack Symptoms

  • Racing heart or palpitations
  • Chest pain or tightness
  • Shortness of breath
  • Lightheadedness or dizziness
  • Sweating and chills
  • Shaking or tremor
The body anxiety attack symptoms create a sense of life-threatening, but it is harmless by itself.

Mental Anxiety Attack Symptoms

  • A constant worry or fear
  • Feeling nervous or edgy
  • I am having trouble concentrating
  • Insomnia
  • It's irritability
  • Tension in the muscles
It keeps the mental anxiety attack symptoms longer and with chronic stress than with acute fear.
Recognition of anxiety vs panic attack symptoms serves to reinforce the distinction and make necessary the need for timely assistance.

Diagnosis and Treatment Options


Treatment of Panic Attack

Panic attack treatment is often a combination of medication and therapy:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Assists one in becoming aware and modifying phobic thinking.
  • Medications: As SSRIs or benzodiazepines on a temporary basis.
  • Breathing Exercises: To manage hyperventilation and soothe the nervous system.
Effective management depends on proper diagnosis of panic disorder or anxiety disorder.

Treatment for Anxiety Attack

Anxiety attack treatment involves psychological and lifestyle modifications:

  • Talk Therapy: CBT and mindfulness-based therapy are effective in decreasing anxiety.
  • Medications: Beta-blockers, SNRIs, or SSRIs can be given.
  • Lifestyle Modifications: Exercise daily, sleep hygiene, and eat healthy.
Treatment ensures relief from the symptom and cause of the anxiety attack.

Coping Strategies and Self-Care

Active coping strategies manage anxiety and panic attacks:

  • Mindful Breathing: Regulates breathing during the panic attack.
  • Grounding Techniques: Concentration in the present moment can overcome fear.
  • Relaxed Lifestyle: Lowers stress hormones and induces good mood.
  • Good Sleeping Patterns: Required to reverse hour-of-the-night occurrence of anxiety attack.
  • Support Groups: Online panic attack vs anxiety attack reddit support groups provide access to peer support and information sharing.
Learning how to stop a panic attack with rapid comforting skills can give individuals control back.
The above is why can anxiety turn into a panic attack allows early intervention skills to be used as anxiety is escalating.

Conclusion

Although used interchangeably with each other, panic attack and anxiety attack are different phenomena with different reasons and symptoms. Understanding the difference between panic attack and anxiety attack aids proper treatment and coping strategies. Panic attacks are acute, severe, and usually unheralded symptoms, and are characterized by maximal physical symptoms of panic attack. Anxiety attacks develop over a matter of time and are usually preceded by recognizable stressors, with initial mental symptoms of anxiety attack.

Early intervention with the correct therapy, medication, and coping skills can go far toward enhancing the quality of life for the so-affected. Getting panic attacks under control or the day-to-day stress building to an anxiety attack, assistance is at hand.

Please book an appointment with the Best Psychologist in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and all major cities of Pakistan through InstaCare, or call our helpline at 03171777509 to find a verified doctor for your disease