Panic Attacks vs Anxiety Attacks: What’s the Difference?
Over the years, I’ve noticed something in conversations with clients: the terms panic attack and anxiety attack often get used like they’re the same thing. And honestly, it makes sense. Both can feel overwhelming, frightening, and hard to put into words. But while there’s overlap, they’re not quite identical—and knowing the difference can actually help you feel a little more in control when these moments show up.
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What Is a Panic Attack?
A panic attack is a sudden surge of intense fear or discomfort that comes on quickly—often out of the blue. It’s like your body has pressed the red “alarm” button without your permission.
Common symptoms include:
Pounding heart or palpitations
Trouble breathing, shortness of breath
Sweating, chills or shaking
Dizziness, nausea, or feeling faint
Chest pain or pressure
A sense of unreality or detachment
Fear you’re “going crazy” or even dying
Panic attacks usually peak within 10–20 minutes (though those minutes can feel endless). They can happen in panic disorder, but also in other anxiety conditions, PTSD, or even depression.
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What Is an Anxiety Attack?
Here’s the twist: “anxiety attack” isn’t an official clinical term. People use it to describe when their anxiety builds so much it feels like an “attack.”
Unlike panic, anxiety tends to build gradually. It’s often tied to a stressor—like exams, a job interview, relationship stress, or financial worries. Instead of a sudden tidal wave, it’s more like a storm front rolling in.
Symptoms often include:
Muscle tension or restlessness
Racing thoughts or worry loops
Irritability or feeling “on edge”
Difficulty concentrating
Trouble sleeping
Fatigue from being in constant “high alert”
And anxiety attacks don’t usually stop after 20 minutes—they can last hours, sometimes days.
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Key Differences
Onset: Panic attacks are sudden; anxiety attacks build over time.
Duration: Panic peaks fast and fades; anxiety can linger.
Triggers: Panic may feel random; anxiety is usually linked to a stressor.
Symptoms: Panic leans physical (heart, breath, chest pain); anxiety leans cognitive and emotional (worry, dread, tension).
Both are exhausting, both are very real—but understanding which you’re experiencing can be reassuring.
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Why Knowing the Difference Helps
It’s not about putting you in a box—it’s about guiding treatment and giving you language to describe your experience.
Panic attacks: often benefit from exposure-based strategies that reduce fear of the sensations themselves.
Anxiety attacks: respond well to therapy focused on managing worry, reducing avoidance, and building stress tolerance.
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Coping Strategies in the Moment
Whether panic or anxiety, some strategies overlap:
Ground yourself: Use the 5–4–3–2–1 method (name 5 things you see, 4 touch, 3 hear, 2 smell, 1 taste).
Slow your breathing: Try inhaling for 4, exhaling for 6–8. This tells your nervous system you’re safe.
Talk back to your thoughts: “This feels awful, but it’s not dangerous. It will pass.”
Avoid avoiding: With panic especially, avoiding triggers makes the cycle worse. Small, supported steps help.
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When to Reach Out
If panic or anxiety attacks are happening often, interfering with daily life, or making you avoid things you care about—it’s time to seek support. Effective therapies exist, and sometimes medication plays a role too. You don’t have to live waiting for “the next one.”
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Final Thoughts
Both panic and anxiety attacks can limit life in frustrating ways. While people often use the words interchangeably, there are differences. Understanding them won’t stop the feelings overnight—but it can help you make sense of what’s happening, and more importantly, remind you that there are strategies (and people) that can help you through it.