Symptoms Of Panic And Anxiety Attacks

What is the difference between a panic and anxiety attack? The main difference is that an anxiety attack is often provoked or triggered by a stressor. Even everyday situations can produce symptoms of anxiety. For example; having to give a presentation in an important meeting at work, may give feelings of stress, anticipation, fear and worry.

You don’t need to suffer from an anxiety disorder to be suffering from an anxiety attack. This is because it’s normal for the body to react with the flight or flight response during a stressful situation. For example, people either hate or love rollercoaster’s. For one person they thrive on the feeling of apprehension, danger and excitement. For another, they fear the danger.

A person suffering from an anxiety attack may feel apprehensive and nervous, and experience a racing heart. Often these minor symptoms subside after a few minutes. On the other hand, a panic attack is unpredictable and unprovoked. Panic attacks can occur at any time without warning.

This makes living with a panic disorder very difficult to deal with. Sufferers may feel inhibited to do normal everyday things, because they fear that a panic attack may spring on them at any moment. Someone who suffers from an anxiety disorder may not necessarily experience anxiety attacks.

Common anxiety disorders such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) may produce symptoms of loss of energy and lethargy. However, more commonly, sufferers find themselves unable to shut themselves off from worrying thoughts. Obsessing and worrying about the smallest situations and problems can make a sufferer feel incapacitated.

Panic and anxiety attacks can produce similar symptoms although in most cases, a panic attack is more severe. Symptoms include shortness of breath, sweating, dizziness and a real sense of terror. What’s worse is that these attacks can go on for hours and symptoms can last for days, even weeks.

A sufferer may even avoid certain places because they previously had a panic attack there. Trying to forget about having an attack is nigh on impossible, since sufferers know that an oncoming attack is inevitable.

Both panic and anxiety disorders can develop over time and sometimes worsen. Changes in the brain and environmental stress are such factors that can cause these psychological disorders. In addition, these disorders may be inherited and run in families.

Suffering from repeated panic attacks can be highly disabling to a sufferer. Fortunately panic and anxiety disorders can be treated. Treatments include; medication, cognitive behavioral therapy and hypnosis. Such treatments can often reduce symptoms dramatically.