People seem to be more open about mental health issues since talking about therapy has become more acceptable. But self-diagnosis is also on the rise, which in some cases can be helpful and in other cases can lead to misinformation.
Self-diagnosis can also be confusing when it comes to anxiety and panic attacks. That’s where Dr. Julie Smith comes in. Dr. Smith, a clinical psychologist, spends time distinguishing between anxiety, anxiety attacks, and panic attacks. (Sims…Anxiety attacks are not the problem. It’s a misconception about the term, and Smith does a great job of using it.)
“The term anxiety attack is being used more and more online and on social media, but it often means something a little different,” Smith said. “The reason for this is that it is not a clinical disease or diagnosis, so it is not a term that is recognized or used in a special way by experts.”
Because of misinformation on social media, Smith said the term is often used to describe the buildup of anxiety that precedes an event, unlike a panic attack.
“A panic attack is a sudden onset of intense fear and discomfort that reaches a peak within minutes and is followed by a range of intense symptoms,” Smith explains. “So you can be in a very high state of anxiety, but a panic attack is when that anxiety actually peaks and the symptoms are so intense that you think you’re going to die or you’re completely out of control. You start to wonder.”
Smith breaks down panic attacks in more detail and provides visual graphs that show the cyclical presence of panic attacks in some people. She also explains how to control symptoms and when to call your doctor in the video below.
