According to experts, both the Anxiety Attack or the panic attack They are sudden episodes of intense fear that cause serious physical reactions. Symptoms include a feeling of danger or impending doom, tachycardia, dizziness and palpitations, among others.
However, there are very different components between panic attacks and anxiety attacks. While one is caused by a sudden fear, the other is caused by a fear that lasts over time. An anxiety attack occurs when we maintain a stressful situation over time. “To give us an idea, our thoughts consider that we do not have enough resources to face this challenge and that we will not be able to face it,” said the psychologist. Laura Fuster to the Spanish portal ABC.
In this regard, if a situation that causes discomfort is not resolved in the short or medium term, anxiety attacks are likely to appear. In these episodes the person experiences symptoms in a very intense and uncontrolled way. It is relatively easy for that person to relate those sensations to the cause that is creating them.
Worry, changes in heart rate, lack of concentration, insomnia, low mood and irritability are some of the most common symptoms of anxiety. The reasons why it can occur are numerous, but the following stand out: work, economy, family relationships, world situation, suffering from a physical or mental illness and facing changes.
For its part, a panic attack is experienced as an intense and sudden fear, and it is a very strong activation of our state of alert. Fuster commented: “These attacks produce very strong sensations. Because the symptoms are so intense, people often think they are having a heart attack or a serious physical illness.”
The person who suffers a panic attack does not identify a specific cause associated with this state. It is usually sudden and lasts between 10 and 30 minutes, although the associated discomfort can last longer. It can appear even when you are calm or sleeping. “As we see, more than a physical medical issue, panic attacks are, rather, a psychological problem,” said the expert.
Intense fear, dizziness, tachycardia, chest pain are some of the most descriptive symptoms of the episode. For this reason, the most notable difference between an anxiety attack and a panic attack is that the cause is concrete and identifiable. In an anxiety attack, the person usually knows why they are in that state, even if they do not know how to manage or solve it. However, in a panic attack, it is more difficult to identify a specific reason.
“We must remember that the therapy of choice for cases of anxiety is cognitive-behavioral, accompanied or not by pharmacology; depending on the case. This therapy is carried out by a psychologist with the collaboration of the psychiatrist if the case requires it,” concluded the specialist.
To try to control a situation of these characteristics, it is recommended to convey a feeling of calm to the person, speak in short and simple sentences, maintain eye contact and help them take calm breaths, and if the crisis does not reduce, the person must be taken to to an emergency service.
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