Anxiety and Panic Attacks - What’s the Difference?

Let’s face it, considering the troubled economic time we’re currently living in, it’s a wonder that we all don’t experience anxiety or panic attacks regularly. It’s pretty normal to feel anxious, worried or even fearful from time to time. Our lives are complicated and anxiety just seems to be a part of life. Anxiety can actually help us cope with the daily stresses causing us react and respond quickly and appropriately to alleviate stress.

However, when our stress is alleviated—the accompanying anxiety should also lift. If this isn’t the case and you are in a constant state of anxiety, it is likely that you have or will experience anxiety or panic attacks.

Anxiety Attacks
An anxiety attack is a sudden surge of overwhelming fear that comes without warning and without any apparent reason. The attack comes when a sudden jolt of fear leads to a release of adrenaline (epinephrine) causing a fight-or-flight response which opens the way for the anxiety attack symptoms listed below.

Such attacks may last 10 minutes or several hours, depending on the individual and their ability to cope with the anxiety attack. These attacks are far more intense than normal feelings of anxiety or stress.

Research from the Mayo Clinic indicates that between 10 and 20% of individuals living in the U.S. will experience an anxiety or panic attack at some point in their lifetime.

Symptoms of an anxiety attack are:

• Fear of dying
• Fear of going crazy
• Fear of losing control of emotions and/or behavior
• Strong urge to run away or escape the place where the attack began
• Feeling of impending doom
• Shortness of breath
• Increased sweating
• Possible increased heart rate or chest pain
• Dizziness or light headedness with nausea
• Trouble sleeping
• Crying associated with the symptoms above

A person who deals with phobias may also experience panic or anxiety attacks as a direct result of a “hung-up” phobia trigger. These attacks are usually brief and quickly calmed once the trigger is escaped.

For those who experience chronic anxiety, one anxiety attack may trigger another and another, leading to a nervous fatigue over a period of days or weeks.

Panic Attacks
Panic attacks are a different sort of anxiety disorder in which the individual displays specific symptoms. The main difference between anxiety attacks and panic attacks involve the intensity and length of the symptoms. Anxiety attack symptoms come on more slowly than panic attack symptoms and anxiety attack symptoms tend to last longer than panic attack symptoms.

The symptoms of panic attacks are very similar as those of anxiety attacks and may include the following:

• Tight chest and pounding heart
• Feeling of intense fear or terror
• Significant trembling or shaking
• Nausea
• Increased sweating
• Chills or hot flashes
• Difficulty catching you breath or choking sensation
• Dizziness
• Fear of losing control

Anticipatory anxiety is an additional symptom of panic disorder and is the constant fear of having another panic attack. This fear can cause an individual to avoid places or social scenarios where either a panic attack previously occurred or where they believe an attack may occur. This fear, in turn, may progress to a social phobia, if not addressed and dealt with.

Anxiety panic attacks may affect any number of individuals occasionally and on a very limited basis with no real consequence or reason for worry.

However, those who experience often and ongoing anxiety or panic attacks should seek help to avoid developing disorders which may lead to behavior changes and constant anxiety over having future attacks.

There is an effective and natural method to eliminate anxiety and stress that has been successfully used by thousands of individuals.

Recommendation:

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Warning: If you are currently on prescription anti-depressants, you must work with your doctor to safely discontinue use, if desired. Do not abruptly discontinue use of such medications as this could cause severe withdrawal effects.