It happens that many people still refer to these terms interchangeably when they speak of them. But if you yourself have ever been subjected to some kind of overpowering wave of an acute fear or a long time state of dread, then being able to discern the difference between a panic attack vs anxiety attack is of utmost importance. Although both states include physical manifestations and psychological distress, their root causes at psychological level are different, so naturally their external appearance will be also.

Getting a grip on that is actually the beginning of finding relief and getting on well with management strategies.

Open Minds Psychiatry appreciates that going through such scary episodes may leave you quite alone but when you get to know exactly what each one is all about you will feel much better and have your peace of mind back.

What is a Panic Attack?

A panic attack is a sudden and powerful surge of anxiety or fear, a condition that often leaves someone in a state of maximum discomfort after a couple of minutes’ time. Most of the time, there is no clear reason for such attacks, and no apparent danger at the moment.

Examining the symptoms of panic attacks, one will notice that they mostly reflect physical features and can severely interfere with a person’s daily activities. Many persons who had panic attacks mention that their fear was accompanied by a fast heartbeat, difficulty breathing, chest discomfort, trembling, and feeling of lightheadedness. Because these symptoms hit suddenly and so severely, the person is likely to be afraid of having an anxiety attack resulting in fainting or to fear a terrifying sense of dissociation or loss of control.

What is an Anxiety Attack?

A difference between anxiety attacks and panic attacks is that “anxiety attack” is more of an informal term than a formal disease diagnosis. However, it is quite common to use it as a way of explaining time of worry so deep and long that it’s very hard to get rid of it.

Anxiety attack is usually the result of prolonged stress that comes from a specific source like work problems, worrying about health, or conflict in a relationship, etc.

When comparing anxiety attack symptoms to panic attack characteristics, the former is generally not as severe but lasts much longer. Symptoms may consist of the tightening of muscles all the time, getting easily annoyed, trouble sleeping, etc. While the body may recover from a panic attack in a very short time, it takes days for symptoms of anxiety attack to subside.

Tips to Stop Panic Attack and Anxiety

Sometimes, during a panic attack or anxiety episode, you can feel so overwhelmed that you want to give up. However, when you have some clear steps on your mind, you can manage stress or fear better.

As the body’s fight-or-flight mechanism gets switched on, a few simple grounding methods can give a very effective sign to the nervous system that the threat is over.

If you are struggling right now with a panic attack and you feel like you cannot control your thoughts any longer, try these strategies that have proven to be very helpful:

• Box Breathing: You might have heard about the Box Breathing (4-4-4-4 Technique) as a method to control the symptoms of anxiety and depression, and even to get more creative. This technique involves breathing to a count of 4, pausing for 4 seconds, exhaling to a count of 4, and pausing for 4 seconds again. Do this at least four or five times. As a result, the respiratory rhythm becomes slower and heart palpitations decrease, leading to more balanced oxygen intake.
• The 5-4-3-2-1 Sensory Grounding Method: The mind is more likely to generate terror and fear if it starts to panic and dwell on the dreaded possibilities of the future or, on the contrary, to feel as though the mind has detached from the body. This countdown, which involves the senses, is supposed to help you focus your mind again on the physical reality around you, by means of your own immediate physical presence. Stop where you are and gradually find out these:
  • 5 things you can see: You can look around and try to name a few specific objects, like a clock hanging on the wall or a green leaf from a tree.
  • 4 things you can touch: Feel the sensations around you, such as your jeans’ surface, the floor that you are standing on, or the table you are touching is cold and hard.
  • 3 things you can hear: Hear sounds that you have tuned into, whether it’s the car traffic going outside, a fridge making the noise of a hum, or some birds singing.
  • 2 things you can smell: Identify and feel the aroma of your freshly brewed coffee or the sweet scent of soap after getting fresh out of the bath. Sometimes one just needs to take a breath of fresh air.
  • 1 thing you can taste: Either you are still fresh after brushing and still having the taste of toothpaste or a mint, you can choose either. Otherwise, just note that there’s a sort of neutral taste of your mouth without anything else being detected.

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