Is it a Panic Attack or an Anxiety Attack?

Most people think that anxiety attacks and panic attacks are the same things. However, they are not and here is why. Panic attacks come on suddenly without warning and usually with no apparent reason. Panic attacks are considered extremely more intense than an anxiety attack. Panic attacks can cause a person to literally think they are going to die.

When a person has severe and repeated panic attacks they can actually become incapacitated by their illness. They can start avoiding certain places or even getting out of their house all together. They begin avoiding other people or socializing at all.

According to www.anxietypanic.com one person out of 75 will experience at least one panic attack in their lives.

Panic attacks can be so severe that they can affect the functioning of major glands, stomach, eyes, kidneys, heart, and lungs just to mention a few. Panic attacks can actually induce the fastest and most drastic changes in a human body.

Since panic attacks also seem to follow the patterns of other illnesses it is hard to diagnose unless the doctor is a professional and has had a history with diagnosing panic attacks. So many people who panic this way almost always believe they have some sort of horrible illness and will go from doctor to doctor to try to get a diagnosis. Just a couple of other illnesses that panic attacks mimic are hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and hyperventilation syndrome. Once they are diagnosed they are treatable.

Symptoms of a panic attack can include but are not limited to: feeling as if you cannot get enough air; raging rapid heartbeat; an almost paralyzing terror; hot flashes or sudden chills; tingling in fingers or toes (pins and needles); nervousness, shakiness, or stressfulness; heart palpitations or feelings of dread; and/or dizziness, nausea, and lightheadedness.

Anxiety attacks are not as severe as panic attacks and are simply normal reactions to stressful situations. However, if they come to the point of irrational or abnormal or excessive dread of every day situations, they are then considered disabling.

As with panic attacks, anxiety attacks have a number of symptoms including but not limited to: nausea; headaches and stomachaches; heart palpitations; increase in blood pressure; pale skin; sweating; trembling; and digestive upsets.

Some people also interpret an anxiety attack or panic attack as being the same thing as a phobia. However, they are not. Panic attacks can be brought on by phobias, but a phobia is when you have a fear of a certain thing (i.e. speaking in public, being in a crowd, being in an elevator et cetera).

Once a doctor has diagnosed an anxiety attack they are treatable with the proper medication and therapy.

In conclusion, panic attacks and anxiety attacks are in the same family of illnesses but they are not the same thing. Panic attacks are not as common but are much worse than anxiety attacks. However, both of these types of attacks, once diagnosed, can be treated. So, see your doctor right away if you have any of the symptoms of a panic or anxiety attack.

Source:

Personal experience (they really are not fun at all)

www.anxietypanic.com June 11, 2009