What’s the Difference Between an Anxiety Attack and a Panic Attack?
It’s very common—and normal—to get a case of the jitters before taking a test, giving a presentation, or going on a first date with someone. In most cases, your brain will calm down once you get distracted by the task at hand.
Unfortunately for some people, it is very difficult to settle their minds. They can get keyed up for hours or even days in advance, with mounting tension that eventually starts to feel overwhelming. They may describe their experience as having an anxiety attack or a panic attack—terms that are often used interchangeably. However, in a clinical sense, these two types of “attacks” differ in numerous ways.
What Happens in an Anxiety Attack?
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 31% of adults in the U.S. will have an anxiety disorder at some point in their life. To some degree, anxiety is a normal response to a threat—whether real or imagined—and is part of our human condition. However, people who have persistent anxiety go beyond the norm. They tend to be chronic worriers, and consequently carry bigger burdens of stress. Unfortunately, there are times when that stress and worry can lead to what feels like an “attack” because of symptoms like these:- Increased heart rate and muscle tension
- Hypervigilance, such as being easily startled or feeling jumpy
- Restlessness and problems sleeping
- Fatigue and/or dizziness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability
How Panic Attacks Differ from Anxiety Attacks
Aside from being more acute, a panic attack is different from an anxiety attack in a few ways. Whereas anxiety symptoms gradually build up, panic attacks can come on suddenly. They may seem to come out of the blue, or the onset of one may be in response to a known trigger, such as:- Having a phobia, like to snakes, and seeing one nearby in the grass
- Fear of traveling through tunnels or over long bridges
- Getting into an airplane or an elevator
- Chest pain and a pounding or racing heart, causing someone to think they are having a heart attack
- Hyperventilation and shortness of breath can lead to feeling lightheaded and dizzy
- Shaking, sweating, hot flashes, or chills
- Nausea or stomach pain
- A sense of being choked or smothered
- Feeling detached from their body or surroundings
5 Steps to Break a Panic Attack
One of the challenges with a panic attack is that because people tend to have shallow breathing, the brain can sense of decrease in oxygen making the out-of-control symptoms even worse. However, the good news is that there are things you can do to help offset them. Dr. Daniel Amen, neuropsychiatrist and founder of Amen Clinics, teaches his patients these 5 steps to break a panic attack:1. Stop and take 3 slow, deep breaths.
When you breathe quickly from your upper chest it triggers an adrenaline response which makes you feel more panicked. Instead, use your diaphragm/belly to inhale for a count of 3, hold 2 seconds, and exhale to the count of 3, and repeat this pattern a few times.2. Do not leave the area unless you are in real danger.
To break your panic attack, you should stay and overcome your initial adrenaline reaction, showing yourself there is no reason to “fight or flight.”3. Break your tunnel vision.
When your fear sets in, you will quickly have tunnel vision, and this will cause you to feel trapped. By looking slowly from side to side, you become aware of your surroundings and can begin reasoning that there is no danger.4. Focus on something outside of yourself or warm your hands.
Once your brain knows you’re safe, it’s helpful to focus on any object in front of you, noticing its color, texture, and size. This can distract you from your symptoms and help you feel calmer. Also, running your hands under warm water offers an immediate relaxation response.5. Speak out loud in complete sentences.
This will prevent you from hyperventilating, and initially, you will speak with short, blunt words, but as you gain control, you will also be able to express your emotions accurately.Manage your Anxious Thoughts with This Easy Technique
If you struggle with anxiety or a panic disorder, it’s easy to get caught up in fearful and stressful thoughts that can trigger you. Dr. Amen knows this is a pervasive problem for many people. He refers to these automatic negative thoughts as ANTs and he teaches his patients how to recognize and challenge them, so their thoughts can become more realistic. Using a technique borrowed from Byron Katie, when you recognize a negative and anxiety-provoking thought running through your mind, ask yourself these 4 questions:- Is this thought true?
- Do I absolutely (100%) know it’s true?
- How would I feel if I didn’t have this thought?
- Who would I be without the thought?
