Anxiety attacks vs Panic attacks

In my mind anxiety and panic are two different beasts. When I have an anxiety attack it starts in my head, noise chatter and catastrophic thinking, then it moves to my chest and becomes a vibration or hum. Anxiety can last from a few minutes to a few days. Panic attacks are short but intense, starts again in my head, the thoughts are so jumbled and chaotic, fast and furious that I'm almost numb from it, my chest hum becomes pounding and my breath is rapid and shallow. I take antidepressants and beta blockers to help and I'm also in therapy. My doctors are super supportive as is my husband, however it's the online support that you get from forums like this that really help.



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Hello GADNic: I'm glad you have found on-line support to be so helpful! Having supportive doctors, & a supportive husband, is a great blessing too. Hope you're doing well today...

Its good for you if the therapist its your doctor because if will work hard to fix your anxiety

Well mine are strictly different too. When I have an all out panic attack I think I am having a heart attack

Mine are different as well! My anxiety attacks tend to be not as urgent (in my mind) and harrowing as my panic attacks. When I'm having an anxiety attack, I know the proper steps I need to take to get rid of it. Panic attacks? Not so much.

Hello. I have posted about this before. I am too lazy to find the link for it, but here are the symptoms of a panic attack. You need four of them to be considered a panic attack:

-Shortness of breath or hyperventilation
-Heart palpitations or a racing heart
-Chest pain or discomfort
-Trembling or shaking
-Choking feeling
-Feeling unreal or detached from your surroundings
-Sweating
-Nausea or upset stomach
-Feeling dizzy, light-headed, or faint
-Numbness or tingling sensations
-Hot or cold flashes
-Fear of dying, losing control, or going crazy

Anxiety attacks, to me, is when I don't have any of the above symptoms, but I suddenly feel very anxious, usually for no reason. If I get these symptoms and extreme anxiety, then it's a panic attack. Hope this helps .