Panic vs. anxiety attacks

[Guest guest]

My former psychiatrist was a real jerk, but he did give me a good

explanation of the difference between an anxiety attack and a panic

attack. I have had both at various times, although anxiety has been much

more of a problem than panic.

Simply put, a panic attack is brought on by no particular stressor -- it

happens literally out of the blue, and you cannot put your finger on a

trigger. Whereas an anxiety attack, while having some of the same

symptoms, has a known trigger. Let's say that you have trouble handling

crowds, at a store for example. The fear of facing that stressor might

trigger an anxiety attack. But if you are sitting at home quite

comfortably watching tv or reading a book and suddenly have terror descend

on you out of nowhere -- that is truly a panic attack. However, if being

alone is one of your triggers, then this same situation would NOT be a

panic attack, but rather an anxiety attack.

In my own case, I know that many of the problems I was having were due to

intense anxiety over known things. But my true panic attacks were all the

worse for having NO cause that I could see. In fact often striking when I

was most comfortable, at home.

Truthfully in many ways I don't know that one is easier or harder than the

other. Knowing the source of my various anxiety attacks has not made them

any easier to bear; in fact somewhat harder, because I was additionally

angry with myself that I couldn't control the fear. But still and all, at

least I understood where the fear was coming from. With classic panic

attacks, the sheerly alien quality of the terror made them very very difficult.

The symptoms as I've experienced them or studied them are somewhat similar,

with one very notable difference. Although when suffering an anxiety

attack I've always felt my heart pounding, rapid breathing, and so on,

there has never in those cases been several very specific symptoms that I

have encountered in panic attacks. In a panic attack I've felt two very

distinct and evidently textbook-type things -- first, the sense that my

throat was closing off, that I could not breathe, perhaps an allergic

reaction -- and second, the absolute SURENESS that I wasn't sick but that I

was DYING. I didn't wonder -- I was certain of it. With anxiety attacks I

want to crawl under the bed and hide. With panic attacks I want to call

911, or make someone else call 911 for me.

I've seen a great number of these symptoms in people who come to the ER

where I now work. Most are not having true panic attacks. Many nurses may

not even know this difference, but I believe it's important.

Best,

Em

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

" Even in nice Mr. son's stories, each boy's life only catches

your deepest interest when a pirate is about to slit that sweet child's

throat. What makes a story good ain't what makes a person good. "

(Allan Gurganus)

" Cut a good story anywhere, and it will bleed. "

(Anton Chekhov)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~