Understanding Panic Attacks vs. Anxiety Attacks and Anxiety Symptoms
What Is an Anxiety Attack?
An anxiety attack is a sudden and intense episode of fear and anxiety.
Anxiety attacks can occur unexpectedly for no apparent reason, but they can also be linked to specific triggers.
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Anxiety attack is not a formal, clinical term.
Many often use the term colloquially to describe all sorts of anxious responses.
Symptoms of an Anxiety Attack
Symptoms of an anxiety attack can vary.
If so, you may have experienced apanic attack.
If you experience recurrent panic attacks, you may have a condition known as panic disorder.
Their heart may race, and they may feel disoriented and shakey.
Nausea, dry mouth, chest pain, and dizziness are also common.
A panic attack is not dangerous, but the symptoms are often confused with serious medical conditions.
Sometimes, a person may feel like they are having a heart attack or dying.
A panic attack and an anxiety attack differ in terms of how long they last.
Panic attacks are typically briefer, lasting somewhere between 10 and 20 minutes.
The feelings associated with an anxiety attack can last longer.
They may begin gradually and may last for hours or days.
An anxiety attack can be triggered by anxiety disorders, perceived threats, or certain situations.
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety attacks may be the result of certain anxiety disorders.
Perceived Threats
Anxiety can be a response to an imprecise or unknown threat.
For example, imagine you’re walking alone down a dark street.
You may feel a little uneasy, and perhaps you have a few butterflies in your stomach.
This anxiety is not the result of a known or specific threat.
Instead, it comes from your mind’s vision of the possible dangers that may result in the situation.
The symptoms you are experiencing are typical and even beneficial.
Anticipating threats allows your body to prepare to respond to a situation quicklya phenomenon known as thefight-or-flight response.
Excessivecaffeineconsumption can also trigger an anxiety attack.
Treatment for Anxiety Attacks
Effective anxiety treatments are available.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy focuses on changing anxious thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
Medications
Some medications can be useful for treating symptoms of anxiety.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
Effective treatments are available and there are also many self-help strategies that you might find helpful.
American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.5th edition.
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Cleveland Clinic.Anxiety disorders: diagnosis and tests.
2020;173(1):4856. doi:10.7326/M20-0580
Cleveland Clinic.Anxiety disorders: what is an anxiety disorder.
2018;18(1):559. doi:10.1186/s12913-018-3313-5
