Are Anxiety attacks and Panic attacks the same?

Disclaimer: I am basing this on my experiences as someone with anxiety and my knowledge from being a Psychology degree student.

Both anxiety attacks and panic attacks have similar symptoms such as increased heart rate, perspiration, heavy breathing, flight or fight feelings.

However there are differences.

Panic attacks are more severe can can occur with or without a panic trigger. They are intense, sudden feelings of terror or fear. 40% of young people can have occasional panic attacks. The role of norepinephrine has an effect on panic disorders - poorly regulated norepinephrine especially in the area of the brain stem called locus coeruleus.

Signs of a panic attack include:

• nausea/dizziness

• chills/hot flushes

• trembling

• numbness

• hyperventilation

The symptoms of anxiety tends to proceed an event of excessive worry. Anxiety attacks are persistent physical feelings of intense excessive worry. I tend to feel them as the event closely approaches or when I am no longer distracted from anticipating said event. Symptoms of anxiety can be: somatic (goosebumps, increased heart heart), emotional (irritability), cognitive (anticipation of harm, worries).

Although panic attacks are more severe, the symptoms of anxiety often last longer than those of a panic attack.

If you would like to get diagnosed or treated for anxiety or panic disorder, please contact your GP and visit this website for more support.

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/generalised-anxiety-disorder/diagnosis/