“Panic attack” and “anxiety attack” are terms often used interchangeably, but they refer to different experiences.
- Panic Attack:
- Intensity: Panic attacks are intense, sudden episodes of overwhelming fear and physical symptoms. They typically peak within minutes and can last for a brief period.
- Physical Symptoms: Panic attacks often involve physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, dizziness, and feelings of detachment from reality.
- Mental State: During a panic attack, individuals may feel like they are losing control, having a heart attack, or even dying.
- Triggers: Panic attacks can occur unexpectedly or in response to specific triggers, but they usually occur out of the blue.
- Anxiety Attack (or Generalized Anxiety Episode):
- Intensity: Anxiety attacks are characterized by a prolonged period of excessive worry, fear, or apprehension about future events, often without a clear trigger. They tend to be less intense than panic attacks but can last longer, sometimes for days or weeks.
- Symptoms: Symptoms of an anxiety attack may include restlessness, irritability, muscle tension, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, and sleep disturbances.
- Mental State: While anxiety attacks can cause distress, they typically don’t involve the overwhelming sense of imminent danger or loss of control that is characteristic of panic attacks.
- Triggers: Anxiety attacks are often triggered by stressors such as work deadlines, relationship issues, or financial concerns.
In summary, while both panic attacks and anxiety attacks involve feelings of fear and distress, panic attacks are sudden and intense episodes with specific physical symptoms and a sense of impending doom, while anxiety attacks are characterized by prolonged periods of worry and apprehension without necessarily the same level of intensity or specific physical symptoms. It’s important to note that these terms are not officially recognized diagnoses in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), but they are commonly used in colloquial language to describe distinct experiences of intense anxiety.