Anxiety in Kids: What’s the Difference Between Panic and Anxiety?

Panic attacks and anxiety are often confused for each other. McLean’s Michelle Silverman, PhD, helps us understand the difference between panic and anxiety especially when either is affecting a child or teen.

Find resources and more about the expert below.

Panic vs. Anxiety

A panic attack is an intense surge of anxiety that comes on really abruptly. It peaks within a few minutes, and it comes with a lot of uncomfortable body sensations.

A panic attack can be triggered by something that is already going to make us anxious, or it can happen totally out of the blue when we’re feeling pretty calm. Some people even have what’s called nocturnal panic attacks, which happen at night, and wake them from their sleep.

Panic is different from anxiety because panic attack symptoms are intense, and they come on suddenly. Panic attacks only typically last somewhere between 5 and 20 minutes, but they are really intense compared to anxiety.

Anxiety is usually associated with specific worries. Whereas, panic attacks can happen when we’re anxious, but they can also just happen out of the blue when we’re already feeling pretty calm and relaxed.

Recognizing a Panic Attack

There are a lot of different symptoms of panic attacks that people can experience, and it varies from person to person, which symptoms or set of symptoms you might experience.

Some examples of common panic attack symptoms include heart palpitations—racing heartbeat. Some people experience a smothering sensation or shortness of breath. You might feel overheated, or on the opposite end of the spectrum, feel really cold.

You might feel nauseated or have other types of GI symptoms. Some people even experience numbness or tingling often in their toes or feet.

There is another set of symptoms that some people experience that are a little bit different, and can include things like feeling detached from reality, feeling like things aren’t real, or that you’re not real.

A lot of people, when they’re having a panic attack, have this fear that they’re losing control or “going crazy” or even that they’re going to die.

And some people, when they’re experiencing a panic attack, actually think that they’re having a heart attack, and they might show up to the ER for help. But it’s important to know that a panic attack cannot kill you.

When and How To Seek Help

Panic attacks are really common, and even though they’re really uncomfortable, they are not in and of themselves a mental disorder.

But, they can become a mental disorder if a person starts spending excessive amounts of time worrying about having a future panic attack or the consequences of having a panic attack, or if they start dramatically changing their day-to-day behavior to avoid having a panic attack—if they refuse to leave their home or they stop exercising altogether, because of that fear that it will trigger a panic attack.

The good news is that anxiety disorders, including panic attacks, are very treatable.

Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is considered the gold standard treatment for anxiety disorders, which includes panic disorder.

You can also speak to your primary care provider to seek a referral for a mental health professional, or you can go to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America’s website. They have a really great find-a-therapist directory.

Lastly, a lot of people find that practicing relaxation or mindfulness can be really helpful if you’re somebody who experiences anxiety or panic attacks.