Panic Attack vs. Anxiety Attack: How to Tell the Difference
Key takeaways:
While some people might use the terms “panic attack” and “anxiety attack” interchangeably, they do not mean the same thing.
Panic attacks and anxiety in general have some overlapping signs and symptoms, like intense fear and increased heart rate. However, key differences can help you distinguish one from the other.
Self-management, lifestyle changes, therapy, and medications are all potential treatment strategies for panic attacks, panic disorder, and other anxiety disorders.
While often uncomfortable, intense anxiety and even panic are normal emotions that can alert us to potential harm in our environment.
It can be hard to tease these emotions apart because they tend to blend together. But panic attacks and anxiety attacks are not the same. While a panic attack is an officially defined experience, an anxiety attack isn’t. That doesn’t mean, however, you can’t experience a bout of anxiety that feels particularly intense.
What’s the difference between a panic attack and an anxiety attack?
The terms “anxiety attack” and “panic attack” are sometimes used interchangeably, but they do not mean the same thing. In fact, even though a heightened state of anxiety can feel like an “attack,” anxiety attack is not a recognized clinical term. This can get confusing because anxiety in general and panic attacks have some overlapping symptoms.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5-TR) defines the symptoms of a panic attack and panic disorder but makes no mention of anxiety attacks. It also categorizes panic disorder — which panic attacks are the main symptom of — as a type of anxiety disorder.
People may use “anxiety attack” to refer to an intense period of anxiety that lasts for a specific amount of time. And it’s possible people may use the term “panic attack” in a casual way that indicates a sudden onset of intense anxiety — but not a panic attack.
While panic is a sudden, uncontrollable fear reaction, intense periods of anxiety are a response to general threats in the future.
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Keep these three key differences in mind:
Anxiety is often linked to a stressor or perceived future threat, while panic attacks can feel like they came out of nowhere. Some people even mistake a panic attack for a heart attack.
Anxiety may come on gradually, while panic attacks tend to happen suddenly and often peak within minutes.
Anxiety can range from mild to severe, while panic attacks are typically acute and intense.
What do panic attacks and anxiety attacks have in common?
Both panic attacks and bouts of intense anxiety often involve psychological and physical symptoms. This means that they affect our thoughts and feelings, as well as our bodies. For example, people may experience fear, worry, and psychological discomfort, as well as an increased heart rate, shortness of breath, and sweating, with either one.
What are the symptoms of panic attacks vs. anxiety attacks?
There is no universal or agreed-upon definition of an anxiety attack, so the experience is somewhat open to interpretation. Generally, you might consider an anxiety attack as a time-limited period of intense anxiety. However, a panic attack is defined by a set of specific symptoms and characteristics.
The table below outlines some of the symptoms of a panic attack and compares them to what you might experience with a period of intense anxiety.
| Symptoms of a panic attack | Signs of a period of intense anxiety |
|---|---|
| Fear of losing control or going crazy | Feeling tense or filled with dread |
| Fear of dying | Worrying or anticipating the worst |
| Feeling detached from reality | Feeling easily fatigued |
| Dizziness | Irritability |
| Feeling of choking | Restlessness |
| Tingling or a pins and needles feeling | Difficulty concentrating |
| Chills or feeling hot | Headaches |
| Shortness of breath | Shortness of breath |
| Nausea | Stomach aches |
| Chest pain | Muscle tension |
| Sweating | Sweating |
| Heart palpitations | Racing heart |
| Trembling | Difficulty sleeping |
What causes panic attacks and anxiety attacks?
Sometimes periods of intense anxiety and panic attacks develop as a result of particular stressors, such as:
Challenging social situations
Phobias or things people are particularly afraid of
The death or loss of a loved one
Major life transitions, such as becoming a parent
Medications, including during withdrawal or discontinuation
Substance use and withdrawal from a substance
Physical pain
But a panic attack sometimes shows up without any identifiable cause and may even wake a person up from sleep. That’s one of the key ways panic attacks are different from bouts of anxiety.
How do you diagnose panic attacks vs. anxiety attacks?
Panic attacks and what people refer to as anxiety attacks are typically diagnosed as part of an anxiety disorder. An anxiety disorder may cause you to get stuck in a state of near-constant anxiety. Or it may intensify to the point that it impacts your ability to live a full life.
Anxiety disorders are common. Nearly one-third of U.S. adults experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives.
Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder that involves repeated, unexpected panic attacks, as well as ongoing fear and concern about future attacks. People with this condition may even adjust their lives in significant ways in an attempt to avoid panic attacks.
There are many other types of anxiety disorders, such as:
Phobias, which involve an intense fear of a particular trigger
How are panic attacks and anxiety attacks treated?
It’s natural for humans to feel anxiety or panic now and then. These emotions don’t necessarily need to be avoided or fixed. In fact, attempts to suppress emotions often cause them to escalate.
You can learn to cope with anxiety and manage panic attacks. Seeking out psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), can help you in this process.
In therapy, you may work on understanding and dealing with anxiety, processing difficult experiences, and taking steps to work toward your values and goals.
Lifestyle changes and self-management strategies may also be effective tools for coping with anxiety and panic attacks. There are things that you can try at home, such as:
Reducing stressors in your life where possible
Limiting caffeine
Practicing mindfulness meditation
Using breathing techniques
Using grounding strategies
Getting enough sleep each day
Exercising regularly
Connecting with family, friends, and community
In some cases, a medical provider may also prescribe medication to treat panic attacks and overwhelming anxiety. Common medications for anxiety disorders include:
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants, such as escitalopram (Lexapro) and paroxetine (Paxil)
Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) antidepressants, such as venlafaxine (Effexor XR)
Benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam (Xanax) and clonazepam (Klonopin)
The bottom line
Panic attacks and what people refer to as anxiety attacks are both similar and different. At their core, both panic and anxiety are emotions that can alert us to potential dangers in our surroundings. Yet, while panic is often extremely intense and abrupt, anxiety can come on gradually, ranges from mild to severe, and is usually connected to an identifiable stressor.
Lifestyle changes and support from a mental health professional can help you tease apart your panic and anxiety and develop coping strategies that align with your goals.
Why trust our experts?
References
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For additional resources or to connect with mental health services in your area, call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357. For immediate assistance, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, or text HOME to 741-741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.
