in too deep | ✓

48| The Differences between Anxiety Attacks and Panic Attacks

The differences between Anxiety Attacks and Panic Attacks

Hi. I thought I should tell you the difference between Anxiety Attacks and Panic Attacks.

If you're someone like me, you may also be absolutely confused and think well, "What can be the differences?"

I am going to tell you about it, pointing it out. If I am wrong somewhere, Please correct me.

I never did much research on the topic myself. But upon experience, suddenly realizing that what actually is the difference opened my eyes.

I apologise for the mistakes I have made in the book, where all the breakdowns were called anxiety attacks because Evelyn has anxiety. But some of her attacks are not anxiety attacks.

Here's what's it about.

Anxiety Attacks:

1. Builds for days: it takes a few days for anxiety to settle in. It takes resources from everyday happenings and saves everything for later. Your head might be exploding with thoughts or you might be really stressed, which fuels the power for your anxiety.

2. Comes with symptoms: Like that headache in the back of your head, that tension in your neck, built up tension everywhere, that doesn't go away if you stretch or take hot compress. It builds and builds.

3. Differences in release: You can just start crying and then bam. That happened. There might be no erratic heartbeats, no shortness of breath, just you feeling absolutely broken to the core where everything inside you pours out.

4. Happens multiple times back to back: yep. It ain't come alone. It comes with companions. This may vary from person to person but when it happens, oh well, block out your schedule for half an hour. Or maybe more.

5. After effect: The after effect may vary too. But it just feels bad and broken.

Anxiety sometimes comes from depression and depression may come from anxiety ( they are best friends after all). However, they do screw you up a little. Don't they?

Panic attack:

1. Can happen to anyone?: I am not entirely sure about this. I think, you can have anxiety attacks if you have anxiety meaning you stress out a lot, you can't relax etc. But panic attack can happen to anyone at anytime?

2. Erratic heartbeats: Ever was in a front row in a concert? When the drum beats you'll hear your heart beating Bam Bam with it. As if your heart has become a drum as well and it just beats so loudly in your ear, you can feel like it's going to explode.

3. Shortness of breath, fear of death: So when you have that crazy crazy heartbeat going on, then you have shortness of breath (not always tho?) And obviously the fear that you'll die of heart attack right now. You'll run out of oxygen and die.

4. Doesn't come with a symptoms but breathing exercise can slow it down: when you first hear that damning heartbeats, try 4,7,8. This must not work for everyone. I am no expert. I can be wrong. But it works sometimes. It will work if you hold on to it.

4 seconds of inhale
7 seconds hold it
8 seconds let it out

Breath in, hold, breath out.

Practice this with me.

Breathe in

1
2
3
4

Hold

1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Breath out

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

And I should have said 1001 or like Mississippi one.

5. The aftermath: from personal experience, I think you recover quickly after a panic attack than an anxiety attack. It goes away as soon as it comes. It is more like a release some sort of.

So with that, I hope I cleared something out? Or did I make you more confused?

Sorry if I did. I get confused too. I personally can distinguish between them but it's kind of hard to explain.

Have a great day/ night.