It’s important to understand the differences between anxiety and a panic attack so that, should you experience one or the other, you can correctly identify your symptoms and seek out effective treatment.
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Read on to find out more about the differences between a panic attack and anxiety.
Clinical Definitions
Medical professionals use a handbook called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, when diagnosing and treating mental health conditions. In the DSM-5, as it is more commonly referred to, the term ‘panic attack’ refers to “an abrupt surge of intense fear or intense discomfort that reaches a peak within minutes.” It is associated with the condition known as panic disorder.”
VeryWell Mind explains that in the DSM-5 “anxiety is used to describe a core feature of several illnesses identified under the headings of, ‘Anxiety Disorders,’ ‘Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders,’ and ‘Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders.’” These include panic disorder, as well as others such as social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.