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How do I know if I'm really having a panic attack or if I'm just freaking out?

Profile: Andrejgrupkovic
Andrejgrupkovic on Sep 17, 2015
Panic Attacks Expert
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How can I tell the difference between heart attack and panic attack cause every time I'm scared I'm getting a heart attack
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Profile: MoonsweptDreams
MoonsweptDreams on Jun 26, 2015
Panic Attacks Expert
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If you're hyperventilating, shaking uncontrollably, on the verge of tears, feel a sense of impending doom or like you're dying, chances are you're having a real panic attack.
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Jul 24, 2015
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A panic attack is the sensation of an extreme and overwhelming rush of emotions, which can include fear, anxiety and/or stress. During this, all symptoms are involuntary (and that, I believe, is how you would be able to identify a panic attack from a 'freak out') - some of these may include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, trembling, chest pain, a feeling of choking or suffocating, hyperventilation and tunnel vision.
Profile: Dovah
Dovah on Jul 1, 2015
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These two things can really be tough, and freaking out can even trigger a panic attack, so they're closely linked and I can see why you'd like to get a clear answer on this. A panic attack and freaking out share many symptoms, but during a panic attack you might also get psychical symptoms such as shaking, dizziness, sweating, increased heart rate and so on. This is because adrenaline is being released by your body, which helps separate the two
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Jul 25, 2015
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shortness of breath, sweating, nausea/vomiting feeling, excessive of worrying, you can't speak, unable to breath properly, uncomfortable feeling. It last like 30 min to 1 hour.
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Jun 20, 2015
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A full-blown panic attack includes a combination of the following signs and symptoms: Shortness of breath or hyperventilation. Heart palpitations or a racing heart. Chest pain or discomfort. Trembling or shaking. Choking feeling. Feeling unreal or detached from your surroundings.
Profile: violetskies
violetskies on Aug 15, 2015
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i feel like sometimes when i freak out i will still cry and breathe heavily, but i can think slightly more clearly than during a panic attack. During a panic attack its not just laboured breathing, it feels like you are suffocating, like you will die. I can usually focus on anything other than whats scaring me or the sensations of the attack, which can make it harder to stop. I feel waves of heat and cold, and some times dizzy too. Hope this helps :*
Profile: enchantingLove16
enchantingLove16 on Aug 13, 2015
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I think they're the same. Panic attaks involve: hyperventilation (breathing quickly and shallow), feeling as if you are choking, heart palpitations, sweating, feeling dizzy or ligth-headed, trembling, feeling nauseous, feeling tingles or nombness, feeling hot or getting cold chills, pressure on your chest, feeling disconnected to the world, thinking that you are going to die.
Profile: DHawks
DHawks on Jul 10, 2015
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A panic attack usually comes on suddenly and feels very alarming and frightening. The thoughts that cross your mind during a panic or anxiety attack can feel unreal, illogical, and out of character. And the physical symptoms of panic and anxiety - like a pounding pulse, chest pain, shortness of breath, sweating, trembling, or dizziness - may get you thinking the worst. When you're freaking out the feeling might be similar but you're more in control of the situation and are physically in better shape. Sometimes it's impossible to tell the difference between both, the important thing is to go back to the coping mechanisms you know and practice them - breathing techniques help a lot in either case.
Profile: xkezzax
xkezzax on Aug 12, 2015
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A panic attack includes a few/all of the signs and symptoms Iv listed these include: Shortness of breath/ hyperventilation, Heart palpitations/racing heart, shaking. Choking sensation, Feeling detached To the thing near you, Chest pains(extremely tight chest), sometimes you head twitching you legs feel weird, or any other body part can feel tingly and start to twitch, you may also feel faint and dizzy, the most important thing it to try and control you breathing and try to reduce them down gradually, sit down against a wall with your arms up and try breathing don't put your head in your hands, mope that helps, if you need someone to talk to about these I'm always here☺️
Profile: JackalopeSoup
JackalopeSoup on Jul 5, 2015
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Panic attacks are a physical expression of your anxiety. They are often characterized through symptoms such as heavy breathing or hyperventilating, increased heart rate, sweaty palms, aND sometimes dizziness or nausea. For more information on anxiety attacks look at the Self Help guides on anxiety and pa nice attacks.
Profile: independentWriter8352
independentWriter8352 on Nov 13, 2017
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i have had many panic attacks some are small one was really huge
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Jul 22, 2015
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You will know because you will all of the sudden get an overwhelming feeling that you will not be ok. It is scary and very overpowering
Profile: brightVision66
brightVision66 on Aug 9, 2015
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Normally you'll start feeling your chest tighten. Like it's hard to breathe. You can become dizzy or feel light-headed. You'll have a feeling of losing control and you'll feel frightened. Like you may be having a heart attack.
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Dec 18, 2014
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Panic attacks are similar to freaking out, as a panic attack IS freaking out, just very extremely, during panic attacks you may feel like you are in a lot of danger, when in fact you aren't, for example if you are feel threatened by someone you may feel they are hiding in your home waiting to attack you or kill you, when in reality they are simply just being hostile towards you. During a panic attack it is common to feel like your heart is being grabbed and squeezed and a choking feeling like you can't breathe. Sometimes you may get a 'pins and needles' feeling or tingly feeling, feeling sick quickly and shaking is also very common. During a panic attack you might have a fear of death suddenly, which should not occur while just freaking out.
Profile: Sauce22
Sauce22 on Jul 9, 2015
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Common symptoms of panic attacks (at least for me) are feeling like you're dying, sweating, chest tightness, can't sit still, just awful feeling that you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. Freaking out is just being in a stressful situation or being really anxious about something.
Profile: HelaDig
HelaDig on Jul 22, 2015
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Sometimes people will have panic attacks, but they'll be unaware of the concept and would say they're "just freaking out". Though it's not very hard to tell these two apart. Symptoms of a panic attack often are fear and feelings that something terrible is going to happen, or that you're going lose control, go crazy, faint, die... one have to consider the mind's a tendency to think over problems in a frantic way and jump to the worst-case-scenarios. There are some harsh physical sensations, like rapid breathing, a pounding heartbeat, shaking, nausea/vomiting, tightness in the throat, chest pain, headache, dizziness, and hot flashes that feed into the experience. Panic attacks are frightening and uncomfortable. Another key is that they can be pretty hard to come down from.
Profile: justhannah21
justhannah21 on Aug 15, 2015
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A panic attack can come in different forms, I myself find myself gasping for breath. It's a very scary experience were you feel complete lack of control over even your own body.
Profile: Lilly495
Lilly495 on Jul 12, 2015
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When I'm having a panic attack my hands and feet will go numb and I begin to hyper ventilate. It's also common for me to have racing uncontrollable thoughts and my chest will feel tight and it's common to begin crying. Everything gets very overwhelming and it seems to come out of nowhere.
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Dec 13, 2014
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Usually during a panic attack you'll experience your heart palpating and heavy breathing. You'll overall just feel unwell when in an uncomfortable situation that usually makes you anxious. While freaking out is similar, a panic attack is more intense.
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