When panic and anxiety strike, can you tell the differences? Knowing how to distinguish the two can help you understand when your condition has progressed and it's time to reach out for help.
Anxiety and Panic Statistics
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, more than 28% of adults suffer clinically significant anxiety symptoms every year. That's one in three individuals. Anxiety is the most prevalent mental illness in the United States.
The good news is that anxiety is completely treatable, either through medication, therapy, or a combination of both. But the stigma is real. Only one-third of those with troublesome anxiety actually seek help.
When left untreated, anxiety can lead to panic attacks and prolonged symptoms that interfere with daily life. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 4.7% of people in the U.S. struggle with panic disorder, a more intense version of anxiety with different symptoms.
Anxiety Attack Symptoms
Anxiety is a natural part of life on Earth, and it serves an important purpose that has helped humans survive danger for thousands of years. In modern times where we're not under the threat of being eaten by tigers (or other large, scary predators), anxiety can happen from everyday activities. A presentation, a work deadline, or a sudden bill can all trigger anxiety.
For those with a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), anxiety is a current that runs in the background of every moment. It's a feeling of unease, worry, or dread that can be mild or strong. It can be so constant and overwhelming that it interferes with work, school, and personal relationships.
If your amount of stress builds to a point where it becomes overwhelming, it can feel like an 'attack' on your system. Anxiety attack symptoms include:
- Restlessness
- Trouble falling asleep or waking up a lot throughout the night
- Racing thoughts
- Trouble concentrating
- Irritability
- Fatigue
- Elevated heart rate (but not to the point where it becomes panic)
- Getting easily startled
- Feeling 'on edge'
- Muscle tension
Anxiety symptoms are generally less intense than panic symptoms. Anxiety can also be persistent, lasting as a general uneasiness or worry for days, weeks, or months.
Symptoms of Panic Attacks
Panic doesn't build like anxiety. It's a sudden, intense sensation of dread accompanied by a variety of mental and physical symptoms (mostly physical). The symptoms of panic attacks are usually so severe that you may fear that you're dying or having a heart attack. Your entire brain and body may be giving you signals that something is terribly wrong and you need to get to the hospital ASAP.
This is what's known as a false alarm. Something has triggered your body to rapidly release adrenaline, and the feelings of doom are your body's way of trying to cope and burn off the adrenaline dump.
Panic attacks are not as dangerous as people make them out to be. Despite the fact that panic attacks appear to be a heart attack or another major disease, they will not kill you. If you're concerned, you can see a doctor and get some tests done to make sure there are no underlying conditions. Then, if you experience a panic attack again, knowing your health has been checked can help you get through the experience and give you some peace of mind that it will pass.
Symptoms of a panic attack include:
- Intense fear
- Feeling out of control
- Detachment (out-of-body experience)
- Feeling like you're dying
- Chest tightness or pain
- Chills
- Sweating
- Choking sensations
- Feeling dizzy, lightheaded, or faint
- An elevated heart rate above 120 beats per minute
- Nausea, abdominal distress, or urgency to use the bathroom
- Numbness or tingling sensations, often in the arms
- Trembling or shaking (usually from your body trying to burn off adrenaline and stabilize your heart rate)
- Feeling like you can breathe or shortness of breath
Unlike anxiety, panic attacks don't always have triggers. They can happen randomly, even waking you up at night.
Panic attack symptoms often peak within 10 minutes (sometimes less) and then subside. Some people experience several shorter attacks right after each other, making it feel like the attack lasts longer.
Once a panic attack subsides, it's normal to feel edgy, stressed, worried, or like something is 'off' for the rest of the day or into the next day. Panic attacks are scary but remember: you are not dying. In the moment, your entire body and brain will try to make you think you are, but it's a lie. You're simply experiencing a rush of adrenaline that will pass.
Five Important Differences Between Panic and Anxiety
- An anxiety attack is characterized by a gradual onset of symptoms. Panic attacks tend to come on suddenly and without warning. Anxiety attack symptoms may also be less intense than those of a panic attack.
- Anxiety is more often in the mind (racing thoughts, worry, thinking about potential dangers) while panic is more often in the body (pounding heart, shortness of breath, shaking).
- Anxiety can be caused by a trigger (public speaking, flying) while panic attacks can occur without a trigger or may be triggered by seemingly innocuous activities (driving on the highway).
- Panic symptoms usually peak and then subside. Anxiety can linger for days or months as a general feeling of worry and distress.
- Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress while panic attacks are not. A panic attack indicates your body's fight-flight-freeze response (usually reserved for actual life and death situations) is getting falsely triggered. Prolonged, untreated anxiety is the most common cause of panic attacks and panic disorder.
Though anxiety and panic attacks share some symptoms, they are two very different experiences. Anxiety is more often in the mind, while panic is more often in the body. Panic attacks can occur without a trigger, while anxiety is caused by a trigger. The most important thing to remember is that panic attacks are not life-threatening and both panic and anxiety issues are treatable.
If you're experiencing panic attacks or have anxiety you just can't shake, please see a doctor to rule out any underlying health conditions and to discuss treatments. With proper therapy, you can learn to manage your panic attacks or anxiety and get back to feeling happy with yourself.