The Difference Between Anxiety and Panic
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It’s easy to mistake anxiety with panic, unless you are familiar with the different symptoms and causes of each. While you are looking for a cure to ease your suffering, it’s important to know if you are suffering from anxiety, or panic attacks, because the treatment can be different for each on. You want to be sure you use the most effective, safe and fast cure available!
What’s The Difference Between Anxiety and Panic?
What is Anxiety?
Generalized anxiety disorder is defined by the World Health Organization as follows: “Anxiety that is generalized and persistent but not restricted to, or even strongly predominating in, any particular environmental circumstances (i.e. it is “free-floating”). The dominant symptoms are variable but include complaints of persistent nervousness, trembling, muscular tensions, sweating, lightheadedness, palpitations, dizziness, and epigastric discomfort. Fears that the patient or a relative will shortly become ill or have an accident are often expressed.” *
In other words, “generalized anxiety disorder” is ongoing worry or fear that isn’t related to a particular event or situation, or is out of proportion to what you would expect–for instance, constantly worrying about a child who is perfectly healthy.
Re-read the list of symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, and ask yourself if you have ever suffered from those symptoms. Remember that these symptoms of anxiety are persistent. Epigastric Discomfort is a feeling of fullness in your esophagus and/or throat.
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What is A Panic Attack?
Panic disorder is another type of anxiety. It occurs when you have repeated periods of extreme panic, called panic attacks.
Panic is a severe form of anxiety, which recurs, for not specific reason or circumstance. Panic is unpredictable. Panic attacks may occur at any time, anywhere, even when you are asleep!
Suppose one day you’re getting out of your car to go to work. Suddenly, your chest feels tight. Your heart races. You begin to feel dizzy and faint. You start to choke. You feel as if the end is near. Was it all in your head? No. Most likely, you had a panic attack.
According to The World Health Organization’s ICD-10: “Panic disorder [episodic paroxysmal anxiety] The essential feature is recurrent attacks of severe anxiety (panic), which are not restricted to any particular situation or set of circumstances and are therefore unpredictable. As with other anxiety disorders, the dominant symptoms include sudden onset of palpitations, chest pain, choking sensations, dizziness, and feelings of unreality (depersonalization or derealization). There is often also a secondary fear of dying, losing control, or going mad. Panic disorder should not be given as the main diagnosis if the patient has a depressive disorder at the time the attacks start; in these circumstances the panic attacks are probably secondary to depression. “
Panic attacks last about 5 to 30 minutes and may include any of the symptoms listed in the box below. Panic attacks can lead to phobias if they aren’t treated.”
While a single panic attack may only last a few minutes, the effects of the experience can have a lasting influence. If you have panic disorder, the recurrent panic attacks take a toll both emotionally and physically. The memory of the intense fear and terror that you felt during the attacks can have a negative influence on your self-confidence and cause serious disruption to your everyday life. Eventually, if untreated this leads to the following panic disorder symptoms:
- Anticipatory anxiety – Instead of feeling relaxed and like yourself in between panic attacks, you feel anxious and tense. This anxiety stems from a fear of having future panic attacks. This “fear of fear” is present most of the time, and can be extremely disabling.
- Phobic avoidance – You begin to avoid certain situations or environments. This avoidance may be based on the belief that the situation you’re avoiding caused a previous panic attack. Or you may avoid places where escape would be difficult or help would be unavailable if you had a panic attack. Taken to its extreme, phobic avoidance becomes agoraphobia.
In summary
The difference between anxiety and panic can be discerned. Panic attacks are a more acute and brief form of anxiety. They occur quickly, and do not last long. It’s important to know what is a panic attack, for if left untreated, panic can cause serious problems. Both anxiety and panic are treatable, and you should take action today!
