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.
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.