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

When i have a hard time breathing , sweating, heart racing its usually panick attack when my brain goes places i should not go i am just freaking out

Youu may have physical symptoms which feel out of control, breathing difficulties, shortness of breath or hyperventilation and general discomfort .Your chest also may hurt. You may also have choking type feelings in your throat and mouth and feel dizzy, sick and difficulties swallowing. You may also feel light headed and confused and frightened as well as feeling very hot and/or very cold. Its very difficult to explain to someone suffering these intense symptoms that it is kind of your mind getting confused and creating the physical discomfort. I never believed it but it does end and you don't have to suffer with the correct help and support. Remember, it doesn't make you weak or anything having a panic attack, intact, if you can come through the other side I believe it makes you stronger. Please don't think you're alone in your suffering.

Your heart starts beating like crazy. You start shaking. Now you're sweating and blushing. You feel embarassed and scared. Also, exhausted, you feel like you've just ran a marathon. That's what having a panic attack feels like.

Panic attacks are episodes of extreme fear, you feel like you're dying, losing control and that something awful is about to happen. When you're panicked, you really are freaking out so they are pretty much the same thing. Luckily, nothing bad will happen to you and it will eventually pass. There are lots of breathing techniques available to help you through them

A panic attack is a brief episode of intense anxiety and it causes the physical sensations of fear. These sensations (or symptoms) can include a racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, dizziness, trembling and muscle tension. The panic attack occurs frequently and unexpectedly and is often NOT related to any external threat (unlike fear, who is in most cases a response to an external threat). It can last from a few minutes to half an hour, but the physical and emotional effects of the attack may last for a few hours. accompanied by specific physical reactions. The symptoms of a panic attack can include the following: Heightened vigilance for danger and physical symptoms Anxious and irrational thinking A strong feeling of dread, danger or foreboding Fear of going mad, losing control or dying Feeling lightheaded and dizzy Tingling and chills, particularly in the arms and hands Trembling or shaking, sweating Hot flushes Accelerated heart rate A feeling of constriction in the chest Breathing difficulties, including shortness of breath Nausea or abdominal distress Tense muscles Dry mouth Feelings of unreality and detachment from the environment. So in case you're experiencing these physical reactions, you should seek help either from your doctor, a psychologist, an anxiety center even.

Most people who suffer from panic attacks can identify it as one and can resolve the onset. If you are just freaking out the onset is usually unknown, is uncontrollable, and you are unaware of your actions. Panic Attacks are more over centrally contained to the individual concerned, where as "freak outs" can often include doing harm to others, as our new channels have reminded us of frequently. ie-The confederate flag did not make a deranged white boy shoot 9 black people. THE BOY DID. He FREAKED OUT.

Often panic attacks result in physical sensations, such as tightening in the chest, heart racing, etc.

When I have a panic attack, my hands start to shake, my forehead starts to sweat and I start feeling like I can't breathe with a knot in my throat. My heart races so fast that I get chest pain. I also feel like I will pass out.

I like to think that Panic attack is losing control where as freaking out is awareness of what is happening.

Panic attacks often strike when you’re away from home, but they can happen anywhere and at any time. You may have one while you’re in a store shopping, walking down the street, driving in your car, or sitting on the couch at home. The signs and symptoms of a panic attack develop abruptly and usually reach their peak within 10 minutes. Most panic attacks end within 20 to 30 minutes, and they rarely last more than an hour. 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 Sweating Nausea or upset stomach Feeling dizzy, light-headed, or faint Numbness or tingling sensations Hot or cold flashes Fear of dying, losing control, or going crazy