Panic Attacks or Anxiety Attacks - Are they both the same thing?

I am sure there are days that you find yourself calm at one moment and out of the blue, your heart is racing. Your palms start to sweat and you feel numb all over. Sounds familiar? Clearly, all of us had experienced those feelings before. Is it a panic attack? Or is it an anxiety attack? Aren’t these two the same? (Why are you asking me these questions?)

Deep breathes. Slowly relax. I am sharing with what is happening to your body and what you can do to ‘counter’ such attacks. Ready? Let me begin by sharing with you that ‘panic attack’ and ‘anxiety attack’ is two separate things.

Anxiety attacks and Panic attacks

Anxiety is a common human emotion. Some examples of anxiety occur before an examination (be it medical exam or academic exam), a work or project presentation (or interview), and sometimes before your first date. It is unpleasant in the moment, but can also motivate us and protect us from threats. Sometimes anxiety interferes with our life and it is commonly called as anxiety disorder. Examples of such disorders include, social anxiety, phobia of cockroaches and spiders, generally over-worried or heighten alert at all times.

Panic Attacks

Anxiety attacks is a layman’s term to panic attacks. Panic attacks are intense fear or anxiety attacks that may occur without warning. Often occur in response to a stressful environment or strike with no apparent reason. A doctor will describe it as ‘the body’s fight or flight system being activated when it shouldn’t.’ Panic attacks are scary and it usually lasts for 15 to 20 minutes long. Panic disorders occur when a person has persistent panic attacks.

Know your symptoms of a panic attack

It is fine to be nervous. A panic attack is different and you need to observe 4 of these symptoms before you can qualify yourself as having a panic attack.

· Increased heart rate

· Chest pain or discomfort

· Sweating

· Trembling or shaking

· Feeling that you are choking

· Dizziness

· Chill or overheating

· Nausea

· Feeling of dying or going crazy

· Numbness

· A feeling what’s happening around you is not real

Inevitably, if one had experienced a panic attack, it is common to have another. A medical officer once told me. “People sometimes start to avoid certain situations or places where they had a panic attack before. They might even avoid leaving home.” But fear not, most panic attacks are treatable

Dealing with panic attacks

Labelling it

Panic attack can happen out of the blue. When someone has a panic attack, they might feel that they are having a heart attack or losing their mind. Learning about panic attacks and recognising the symptoms helps people keep it together when another attack happens.

Logging it

Just like keeping tabs on your eating and exercise habits, it is good to keep a record of your panic attacks. Information such as when and where they happened, how long they lasted and anything that might have triggered it. Tracking will help you to check on your results of the strategies you are employing at the time of these attacks. It will also help you to gain more confidence if you realised that the attacks are less frequent.

Breathing

Deep breathing exercises can help to turn down the body’s panic response, supporting the breath and heart rate retuning to normal. I am unsure whether this help but I had seen it on others. Blow in and out into a plastic bag. Deep breathing is not the same as hyperventilating. Please know the difference before confusing yourself with the breathing techniques.

Distract yourself

A medical officer shared, ”The more focus you are on your panic, the worse it will become.” The same medical officer shared that it is best to distract oneself as soon as the attack start. Several distractors include brushing of teeth, washing your face, petting your pet (dog, cat, or hamster). Use your other senses like touch or smell can also be helpful.

Ask for help

While it might be uncommon, mental health professionals can help one to find ways in managing one’s panic attacks, anxiety attacks as well as panic disorder. These professionals will support you to identify and change the thoughts that go hand-in-hand with the triggers.

Anxiety and panic attacks are different. It can occur to anyone at any age and at any time. Many may have got it due the current pandemic. It should not be a barrier to live your life to the fullest if you can recognise the symptoms and its triggers. If the problem persists, seek help and ask for support from your family, colleagues and friends.

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