What is the difference between a panic attack and an anxiety attack?

As a mental health professional with experience in dealing with various forms of anxiety and panic disorders, I can provide you with a clear distinction between a panic attack and an anxiety attack. An anxiety attack is a sudden feeling of dread, often without a clear or direct cause. Individuals experiencing an anxiety attack may feel fearful, apprehensive, and might notice physical symptoms such as a racing heart or shortness of breath. These episodes are typically short-lived and once the source of stress is removed, the symptoms of the anxiety attack usually subside. On the other hand, a panic attack is a more intense and sudden manifestation of fear that can occur without an apparent trigger. Panic attacks are characterized by an abrupt surge of intense fear and discomfort, which may include symptoms such as a pounding heart, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, or a feeling of impending doom. Unlike anxiety attacks, panic attacks are not tied to a specific stressor and can happen at any time, often catching the individual off-guard. To summarize, while both anxiety and panic attacks involve feelings of fear and physical symptoms, the key difference lies in the presence of a stressor and the predictability of the attack. Anxiety attacks are typically brief and linked to a specific stressor, whereas panic attacks are unprovoked, unpredictable, and can be more severe.

An anxiety attack, people may feel fearful, apprehensive, may feel their heart racing or feel short of breath, but it's very short lived, and when the stressor goes away, so does the anxiety attack. Panic attack on the other hand doesn't come in reaction to a stressor. It's unprovoked and unpredictable.