Anxiety Attack vs. Panic Attack: What’s the Difference?

When your heart races, your breathing shortens, and your thoughts begin to spiral, it can be hard to know exactly what’s happening in your body. Is it anxiety? Is it panic? While these two experiences often get used interchangeably, they’re not the same,  and understanding the difference can help you respond with more compassion and clarity when either shows up.

What Is an Anxiety Attack?

Although not a clinical diagnosis, the term “anxiety attack” is widely used to describe intense periods of heightened anxiety. These episodes typically build up over time and are directly tied to stressors, like work pressure, relationship conflict, health worries, or financial struggles.

Common symptoms of an anxiety attack include:

• Racing thoughts or constant worry

• Muscle tension or restlessness

• Difficulty concentrating

• Fatigue or trouble sleeping

• Shortness of breath or a tight chest

• A general feeling of unease

Anxiety attacks tend to escalate gradually. You might feel them rising over hours or even days in response to something specific. They're often your body's way of signaling, "Something’s not right."

What Is a Panic Attack?

Unlike anxiety attacks, panic attacks are recognized clinically and can feel more intense and abrupt. While they can seem like they come out of nowhere, many are triggered by underlying stress, trauma, unresolved fear, or anxiety, even if the individual isn't consciously aware of the cause at the moment.

Symptoms of a panic attack often include:

• Sudden, overwhelming sense of terror or doom

• Heart palpitations or chest pain

• Sweating or chills

• Trembling or shaking

• Feeling like you can’t breathe

• Nausea or dizziness

• Feeling detached from reality (derealization) or from yourself (depersonalization)

• Fear of losing control or dying

A panic attack can peak within 10 minutes and resolve within 30–60 minutes, although the emotional aftereffects can linger. They may happen once or become part of a pattern, especially for individuals with Panic Disorder, PTSD, or other anxiety-related conditions.

Key Differences at a Glance

Can You Experience Both?

Absolutely. Many people experience both anxiety and panic attacks, sometimes even within the same period. Ongoing anxiety may contribute to developing panic attacks over time. Similarly, unresolved trauma, chronic stress, and emotional overload can all blur the line between the two.

How to Cope

Whether you're experiencing anxiety or panic, your body is responding to what it perceives as danger. Here are some helpful strategies:

For Anxiety Attacks:

• Ground yourself with deep breathing

• Journal your thoughts to identify stressors

• Use guided meditations or calming music

• Set boundaries and prioritize rest

For Panic Attacks:

• Remind yourself: “This will pass, I am safe.”

• Focus on one sensory detail (what you see, hear, feel)

• Practice box breathing (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4)

• Stay in the moment, don’t resist the feeling, let it flow

When to Seek Help

If anxiety or panic attacks are interfering with your daily life, you're not alone, and you don’t have to figure it out by yourself. Therapy, support groups, and in some cases, medication, can make a major difference in understanding and managing these responses.

Final Thoughts

Both anxiety and panic are real, valid, and rooted in your body’s attempt to protect you. Even when it feels overwhelming, it’s not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign that something deeper needs care, compassion, and healing.

Written By: Alysia Heard