Introduction
Now that you have a clearer understanding of the different types of anxiety disorders, it is time to delve into some of the information that patients and loved ones most often want to know regarding them. Physicians and mental health professionals often do not take the time to clearly explain certain condition and symptoms, and many practitioners are wary of delving too far into explaining nonconventional and natural treatments for anxiety disorders. 
In this section, we will work to answer the most common questions and concerns related to anxiety disorders. Here, we can help you gain a better understanding of your symptoms and what they really mean as well as helping you to understand different treatments, therapies, and options.
Take the time to read through this section carefully. Within these pages are the facts and information that patients really need to know about anxiety disorders but often are not told. Whether you want to know what your symptoms mean as far as your general health or whether or not it is safe to buy medications online, you will find the answers within these pages.
Chapter 10
Anxiety or Panic, What’s the Difference?
anxiety or panic ?
One frustrating thing that is seen far too often in the mental health profession and in the general population as well is the tendency to use the words anxiety and panic as synonyms. Anxiety and panic are two very different things, and anxiety attacks and panic attacks are quite different from one another as well. These two words have very specific meanings, and in this chapter, we will help you learn the difference between anxiety and panic.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a condition that can certainly be frustrating, but that does not create a sense of immediate and constant distress and fear. The symptoms of anxiety typically take a long period of time to develop and are not extremely intense. Anxiety symptoms can last days, weeks, or months, and are typically not related to a specific situation or thing.
Anxiety is also usually related to excessive worry. While there can be symptoms that are similar to panic, such as shortness of breath or an increased heart rate, these symptoms are far less intense whenever experienced as part of anxiety than with panic.
Panic
With panic and panic attacks, symptoms come on very suddenly and often come out of the blue. These symptoms are extremely intense, and patients usually exhibit a great deal of fear in association with them. While panic attacks may occur one after another, they are usually very short in duration, peaking within ten minutes of starting, before they begin to subside. While anxiety can lead to worry about the long term effects or a fear that a symptom may be a life threatening condition, panic attacks are typically hallmarked by the intense fear that you are about to die or are having a heart attack in that moment.
Other Key Differences
Initial Presentation
One key difference between anxiety and panic is how they first present. Symptoms of anxiety can take weeks, months, or even years to present in a clear enough manner to warrant a diagnosis. Anxiety can start out as just feeling excited or hyper, or it may present with feeling sluggish and restless. It can present as insomnia or other minor symptoms for a very long period of time before symptoms become disruptive or even noticeable.
Panic, on the other hand, presents suddenly, intensely, and largely unmistakably. While panic attacks can be mistaken for a heart attack, the symptoms are well defined enough that it can be easily determined that a panic attack is occurring. This distinction is one of the easiest ways to differentiate the two conditions.
Predictability
With anxiety, symptoms can be fairly easy to predict. For example, a person with OCD may feel anxiety every time they leave the house, before a shower, or when coming into contact with certain objects. Someone with PTSD might feel anxiety when in a space that is silent, when going to bed, or when in a situation that presents some reminder of trauma. While panic attacks can occur within anxiety disorders other than panic disorder, anxiety symptoms and panic symptoms are still different.
With panic disorder and panic attacks, symptoms can be harder to predict. People with phobias may always experience panic when confronted with the object of their fear, but it is most common that panic attacks arise out of the blue. People with panic disorder do not know that the attack is coming until it has already begun.
Summary
While the words are often used interchangeably, there are many differences between panic attacks and anxiety attacks. Severity, intensity, duration, presentation, and predictability are all excellent indicators of whether you are experiencing symptoms of panic or anxiety.
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