What's the difference between an Anxiety Attack and a Panic Attack?
In truth there are no hard and fast definitions for these things. Most professionals would follow the terminology from DSM IV, a handbook of psychological symptoms which would cover anxiety, phobias and panic attacks.
In the real world many people apply their own labels to what are their own unique anxious, scared, or panicky symptoms. It’s fair to say that a panic attack is a short sharp peak of terror, where as an anxiety attack could consist of a more sustained but less intense symptoms. For a list of possible symptoms click here.
Really the label you give your symptoms is irrelevant, indeed over-identifying with a label may prove counter-productive in the long term. I would talk through your symptoms with your doctor, therapist, or healthcare provider and assess the best way to tackle them. Remember….something works for everyone...
