Symptoms of an Anxiety Attack vs. Panic Attack.

Are anxiety and panic attacks the same things? Not really. They differ in terms of intensity, duration, and triggers.

There is often a lot of confusion regarding these 2 terms. Largely because - as it is with a lot of common parlance vs technical jargon - in some circles, the terms are used relatively interchangeably, both talking about the same things, whereas in other circles they are very distinct terms that describe very different experiences.

And then, even when they do refer to different experiences, there is certainly a lot of overlap between the two. Both types of attack will involve intense feelings of fear, emotional and physical distress, and - of course - a sense of panic.

If you’ve been following me for a long time, you know that I don’t highly subscribe to the idea that labeling things is of the utmost importance when it comes to true healing. I don’t believe that if we call your experience one thing vs the other it will necessarily help you in the moment any more than simply developing the relevant emotional fitness skills will, but nonetheless, I think that it can be helpful to understand that these can in fact be 2 very different experiences.

So, let’s explore the 2 kinds of attack.

Symptoms of a Panic Attack.

The 3 main trademarks of a true panic attack are the intensity, the longevity, and the unpredictability. They tend to happen out of nowhere, only last for a few minutes, and often make you feel like you are literally dying (but… you’re not…).

Being aware of what a panic attack really is can be extremely helpful while you’re in it because simply understanding that it is a panic attack (and that you are not actually dying) can help you stay calm enough to let the experience pass without adding any extra fear and panic to an already troubling situation. The more aware that you can be of what is happening, the better you will be able to handle it.

Of course, during a legitimate panic attack (especially if it's your first one), it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to maintain a state of objective self-awareness, so… don’t judge yourself for freaking out in the moment. This awareness of what it is will likely be more helpful to you once the intense initial experience fades away and you’re able to reflect on what just happened.

Some symptoms to be aware of with panic attacks are:

Intensely increased heart rate.
Feeling like your heart is beating out of your chest (heart pounding).
A sensation of “Air Hunger” (finding it hard to breathe or to take deep breaths).
Trembling or shaking.
Sweating, hot flashes, or chills.
Dizziness, lightheadedness, or feeling like you might pass out.
Intense chest pains that may often be mistaken for a heart attack (making you believe that you are dying).
Dissociation and loss of general awareness (not knowing where you are or what’s going on).

Obviously, this kind of experience can be terrifying in the moment. Most people - especially after their first attack of this sort - will go to the hospital, certain that there is a serious medical problem, only to be told that everything is fine. While this should be reassuring, it actually leads to a looping cycle of fear because you no longer feel safe in general.

This is the biggest long term consequence of a panic attack… a newfound feeling of being unsafe. After all, if the first panic attack happened out of nowhere, how do you know it’s not going to happen again at any moment? It creates a fear that will continue to follow you around, ironically making anxiety, stress and another panic attack all the more likely.

The best thing that you can do after recovering from your panic attack is understanding that it is a rare and relatively isolated incident. That - paradoxical and difficult as it may seem - simply moving on with your life and not spending any extra time worrying about it is the best way to prevent it from happening again. In other words, do your best not to live in fear of the next panic attack.

Learning how to feel safe in the moment (regardless of past experiences or worry about the future) is what Emotional Fitness Training is all about. So, if you’re living in fear of panic attacks, it may be time to start working on your overall emotional fitness, learning how to master your cycling thoughts and body’s stress responses. Feel free to schedule a call with me to discuss how we can achieve this.

Symptoms of an Anxiety Attack:

Anxiety attacks are what happens when an ongoing state of fear and worry hits its peak and becomes debilitating. This can last for hours or days.

Whereas panic attacks happen quickly, out of nowhere, and are so intense that you may think you’re dying, anxiety attacks tend to have identifiable triggers, rise steadily in intensity, and cause more enduring but more manageable physical distress.

Because it can last longer, it can equally produce a sense of being unsafe and can exacerbate all of the worry and fear that created it, but - overall - the intensity of the physical and emotional response doesn’t quite hit the heights of a panic attack.

Anxiety attacks are marked by:

Intense and cycling worry and fear.
An ongoing state of fight or flight (including things like muscle tension, turning feeling in the stomach, lump in the throat).
Irritability, impatience and restlessness.
Being easily triggered and frustrated.
Trouble focusing.
Wanting to disconnect from people and your life.
Racing or pounding heart (although to a much lower degree than what would be experienced with a panic attack).

If you’ve followed many of my other writings or teachings about anxiety, you might notice that the symptoms of an anxiety attack are basically just the same as the symptoms of anxiety overall. An ‘attack’ - as mentioned - is simply when these symptoms hit their peak for a certain amount of time, making them more debilitating than usual.

Main Differences Between Panic Attacks and Anxiety Attacks:

To sum up, the main distinctions between these 2 experiences are:

Triggers: While a panic attack does not tend to have any identifiable trigger, an anxiety attack is usually caused by something specific that makes your usually manageable anxiety levels hit a peak that becomes more debilitating than usual.

Intensity: A panic attack can quite literally feel like your world is ending, like you’re having a heart attack, or like you’re about to die. It is a completely overwhelming experience that takes over. Whereas an anxiety attack is less intense (although still very disturbing and disruptive).

Duration: A panic attack will usually last no more than a few minutes whereas an anxiety attack can last hours or even days.

How to Handle Panic and Anxiety:

Both kinds of attack are tied to fear, unresolved emotional trauma, and a nervous system that is constantly on edge. These experiences are our bodies’ way of reacting to unmanageable levels of emotional distress. They are pointing us in the direction of where we need healing, and it is important that we take these signals seriously and start putting in the work needed to learn to feel safe in our lives.

In both cases (and especially with panic attacks), it’s extremely important that we start putting in the work BEFORE these things happen. Without having the proper skills and tools in place and without having already spent some time building the appropriate emotional muscles, there is going to be very little that you can do during one of these attacks. We need to be prepared.

We need to learn how to notice and take control of the looping cycle that happens between our thoughts, our emotions and our sensations so that - when an attack like this begins - it doesn’t send us into extra worry and fear, which is only going to make the experience that much worse. We need to be able to identify the physical symptoms that are happening and look at them objectively, without adding any extra panic or fear to the equation.

In my emotional fitness training program, I help my clients develop the skills and muscles to be able to observe their inner world and the symptoms involved with stress, panic, fear, anxiety and more, with a calm, objective and mindful eye, while building the emotional muscles necessary to allow intense emotional energy to pass through us.

These kinds of attack experiences are our bodies' way of trying to process massive amounts of pent up emotional energy. In these moments, it’s like the body is trying to deal with 500 pounds of emotional distress all at once, and that is why it’s important that we have built the relevant muscles in advance. You will never be able to lift 500 pounds in the moment unless you’ve already been training to do so.

If you’re struggling with panic or anxiety and want to finally heal rather than just cope, let’s connect. Book a free initial call with me today, and together, we can get you strong enough to handle absolutely that this world (or your stressed out nervous system) can throw at you, without ever getting too far off track again.

We can show you how to feel safe, confident and live with a genuine sense of inner-peace. It IS doable! I promise.

Tags: #anxiety-vs-panic, #emotional-fitness, #fear-response, #mental-health-disorders

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Photo of Benjy Sherer, Anxiety Coach. An emotional fitness trainer specializing in offering guaranteed relief from anixety, trauma, fear and more.

Benjy Sherer is a mental health coach and emotional fitness trainer specializing in anxiety and trauma healing. His approach is about bypassing the intellectual analysis of our past traumas and focusing instead on conquering the subconscious cycles that keep us stuck in fear and which prevent us from truly healing our pain.

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