Is there a difference

In my personal opinion, yes, there is a difference.

Anxiety disorder sufferers do not have 'panic attacks', they have 'anxiety attacks' where they become extremely anxious in various situations, or may feel just mildly anxious all the time.

Panic Disorder can vary with it's extremeties. Some people just suffer with a few panic attacks here and there, and not have many other problems and can deal with it with breathing techniques and CBT, and then there are the more extreme cases like myself, where I feel like I'm in constant panic mode most of the day, and have a panic attack every day or even sometimes twice a day.

I am now on meds though, and the panicky feelings have subsided from the day to day basis, to just sometimes getting panicky and having a panic attack at least once a week.

It sounds to me like you have panic disorder, rather than GAD (generalized anxiety disorder).

There are approximately 19.1 million Americans that suffer from Anxiety Disorder, whereas only 2.4 million Americans are sufferers of Panic Disorder. Amazing eh?


Twiggygal~

LOLOL Mooney ahahaha

I have been diagnosed with GAD and depression, but I have panic attacks all the time. There is a difference between anxiety attack and a panic attack. Durring a panic attack you think your going to die. At least this is how I feel when I get them. I get them about every other night when my husband is not home. I feel anxiety almost all the time, so when I get an anxiety attack it is a more excessive worry. I get shortness of breath and dizziness with both . Another characteristic that I think really helps to differentiate them is that with a panic attack, I get paralized with fear and my heart beats so loud I can't hear anything else around me. This is just my experience. If I am wrong, please someone correct me. I can be misdiagnosed. It has been years since I spoke with a doctor.

Beth