venusbluejeans
17-01-13, 19:25
What is the difference between anxiety and Panic?
A lot of people describe these as the same things but in reality they are totally different
The dictionary defines the words as follows....
Anxiety - a state of uneasiness or tension caused by apprehension of possible future misfortune, danger, etc
Panic - Sudden uncontrollable fear or anxiety, often causing wildly unthinking behaviour.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a worry, a concern something that plays on your mind, something that you cannot get out of your head…..something that makes you so anxious you may then experience physical symptoms. This may even be a subconscious thought, so you are not even sure why you are anxious.
These symptoms may include
dizziness
nausea
Diarrhea
headache
drowsiness and tiredness
pins and needles
irregular heartbeat (palpitations)
muscle aches and tension
dry mouth
excessive sweating
shortness of breath
stomach ache
excessive thirst
frequent urinating
painful or missed periods
difficulty falling or staying asleep (insomnia)
also if you start becoming anxious about a particular thing your health for example then you may then develop symptoms of the thing you are worried about causing you to become more anxious.
If you do suffer from anxiety then this may then lead to you suffering from panic and panic attacks.
Panic Attacks
Panic attacks are a sudden and intense period of severe anxiety. They will start abruptly and you will have anxiety symptoms in a crescendo until the height of your panic attack which is usually about 10 minutes after it has started.
These panic symptoms can include...
palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate
sweating
trembling or shaking
sensations of shortness of breath or smothering
feeling of choking
chest pain or discomfort
nausea or abdominal distress
feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint
feelings of unreality (derealization) or being detached from oneself (depersonalization)
fear of losing control or going crazy
fear of dying
numbness or tingling sensations
chills or hot flushes
You have to remember that no matter how long the attack lasts they DO pass, but during the attack you may feel that it will never end.
The Difference?
As you can see the main difference between anxiety and panic is the severity and the duration of the ‘attack’. Anxiety may be with you 24/7 and the symptoms may range from mild to severe, whereas Panic will be short lived and the symptoms will almost certainly be severe.
A lot of people describe these as the same things but in reality they are totally different
The dictionary defines the words as follows....
Anxiety - a state of uneasiness or tension caused by apprehension of possible future misfortune, danger, etc
Panic - Sudden uncontrollable fear or anxiety, often causing wildly unthinking behaviour.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a worry, a concern something that plays on your mind, something that you cannot get out of your head…..something that makes you so anxious you may then experience physical symptoms. This may even be a subconscious thought, so you are not even sure why you are anxious.
These symptoms may include
dizziness
nausea
Diarrhea
headache
drowsiness and tiredness
pins and needles
irregular heartbeat (palpitations)
muscle aches and tension
dry mouth
excessive sweating
shortness of breath
stomach ache
excessive thirst
frequent urinating
painful or missed periods
difficulty falling or staying asleep (insomnia)
also if you start becoming anxious about a particular thing your health for example then you may then develop symptoms of the thing you are worried about causing you to become more anxious.
If you do suffer from anxiety then this may then lead to you suffering from panic and panic attacks.
Panic Attacks
Panic attacks are a sudden and intense period of severe anxiety. They will start abruptly and you will have anxiety symptoms in a crescendo until the height of your panic attack which is usually about 10 minutes after it has started.
These panic symptoms can include...
palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate
sweating
trembling or shaking
sensations of shortness of breath or smothering
feeling of choking
chest pain or discomfort
nausea or abdominal distress
feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint
feelings of unreality (derealization) or being detached from oneself (depersonalization)
fear of losing control or going crazy
fear of dying
numbness or tingling sensations
chills or hot flushes
You have to remember that no matter how long the attack lasts they DO pass, but during the attack you may feel that it will never end.
The Difference?
As you can see the main difference between anxiety and panic is the severity and the duration of the ‘attack’. Anxiety may be with you 24/7 and the symptoms may range from mild to severe, whereas Panic will be short lived and the symptoms will almost certainly be severe.