Panic attack or extreme anxiety-what's the difference?

[ladybird64]

Hi all, hope you are all recovering from the day. :)

I have been meaning to ask this question for a while but didn't get around to it so here we go...bearing in mind that I mean no offence to anyone.

I have seen many people on NMP and in chat say that they are having a panic attack or have been panicking for a continuous period of time, say for a few hours.

Now I get what I believe are panic attacks, always when I'm away from home so I know there is a bit of agoraphobia thrown in for good measure. When I get a panic attack I freeze. I can't speak, can't listen to anything apart from my brain telling me I'm going to drop at any minute and I can't even talk to other people.
Apart from the shaking and finding it hard to breathe I can barely move. When I do move it's like a kind of jerky involuntary muscle spasm whic is only alleviated by me trying to walk.
When I do finally move and start walking, I feel like I'm trying to walk through mud.

Is it actually possible to be having a panic attack and function normally at the same time or is this extreme anxiety rather than a PA? Is there a clearly defined difference?

Maybe it's something to do with suffering panic attacks at home which I have never done, I honestly don't know but would really like to hear what you think.

Thanks :flowers:

[fozzy is crying]

They can be the same thing it depends on lots of things. What the underlying problem is and what if any medication you are on. Only your Doctor is in a position to say which or maybe both you are suffering. Panic and Anxiety hits people in many and different ways and often the two get confused or misdiagnosed. As I said check with your Doctor. However most of all try not to worry and look at ways of controlling it. Fear only leads to fear and the initial fear is often one that you have because you do not know what is happening to you.

Merry Christmas.

Gordon

[Panic33]

I posted this sometime back when I was at the height of my anxeity/panic:
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=57632
the responses may help

[ronski]

Extreme anxiety is a sensation that can go on for quite a long time and will make you feel unwell and give you heavy legs and probably make you very very tired and yes that maybe caused by the anticipation of going out especially if you have agoraphobic tendencies. Panic attacks are always brought on by your bodies reaction to that first fear that comes from the subconcious mind. They are always very unpleasent and frightening in nature and last for around 5 mins to half an hour and can reoccur in cycles through any time of the day. The reason for that is that the body cannot produce continuous supplies of adrenaline at the levels needed for those panic attacks. Also with panic attacks you feel as though you are about to die and that a heart attack is imminent where as with high anxiety you will probably feel feelings of dread and some uncertainties that all is not well, as well as a whole host of other symptoms and sensations that literally can last for days or weeks.

So I think the correct assumption is that if you feel ill very quickly and it escillates quickly in intensity but soon disippates then it is a panic attack, but if the feelings are more drawn out and generalised in nature then it is more likely to be high anxiety. One thing is for sure that you cannot get panic attacks without anxiety driving them.

[ladybird64]

Hi again

Many thanks to all of you for your replies.

Gordon, I have never been officially diagnosed but am aware of what I have, this is due to scouring on the internet for explanations and the good information pages on this site!
I have very little faith in the medical professiion as a whole and I prefer to deal with things on my own, I have no wish to discuss these problems with my GP. I do still suffer from panics but at least I now have the knowledge of what they actually are..it doesn't stop them but it stops me trying to fight them!

Panic33 and Ronski, thanks for the info, you have actually confirmed what
I believed, that there is a difference and panic episodes are relatively short-lived (although it seems like they go on forever when one occurs (:scared15:).

Thanks guys:flowers: