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

You can tell if you having a panic attack if your having some of the physical sensations. They are just as bad and feed into how nerve-racking the experience is. Some of the big ones are rapid breathing, a pounding heartbeat, shaking, nausea/vomiting, tightness in the throat, chest pain, headache, dizziness, and hot flashes. The key thing about panic attacks is they're really frightening and uncomfortable when they're happening. They can be hard to come down from as well.

The distinction between freaking out and a panic attack mostly depends on your definitions of both. A panic attack entails frightening and sudden physical and mental symptoms such as rapid breathing and heart rate, nausea, shivering, and extreme fear, whereas I'd define freaking out as simply greatly worrying about something. Panic attacks subside after just a few minutes, whereas you could probably be freaking out about something for hours.

A panic attack is a physical reaction to a prolonged feeling of high stress. Sometimes panic attacks happen after a very stressful event or after a long period of low lying stress. A panic attack can be anything from just fast heart beat and sweating, to full on body shakes, freezing up, hyperventilating, fainting, etc. However, a panic attack won't kill you :) as unpleasant as it may be it will pass. I should know, I've had a few!

If you are having a panic attack, The symptoms are usually, -Racing Heartbeats/Hyperventilation -The feeling of "Losing Control" or that your having a heart attack -Dizziness/Faint Feeling -Feeling Exhausted or Tired afterwords -Unable to catch your breathe [You are okay when this happens, It goes along with Racing Heart -Nausea [This is your body getting too excited] -Sometimes Vomiting -Sometimes Shaking These are just some of the symptoms of a panic attack, When you have a panic attack, Your body goes into a "Fight or Flight" mode which means that your body feels like there is a threat when there really isn't. But if your just simply freaking out, It's usually just a lot of stress, and your just overwhelmed, which may make you feel upset or mad without any of the symptoms above.

If you're having a panic attack you will literally feel like you're dying. Like your heart is going to explode in your chest. It's pretty indescribable, but you would know if it was an actual panic attack. That's how significant it is.

Maybe it is both, and that is ok. Panic attacks can be brought on by even small things, and it does make you "freak out". "Freaks out" are a bit less intense than an attack. If you are having trouble breathing or having physical pain, you are probably having an attack. Finding ways to control your attacks when they happen helps a great deal. For me, it was literally wrapping my arms around myself and squeezing myself and focusing on slowing my breathing, making it steady.

Panic attacks often manifest in severe signs, such as high adrenaline, racing heart, hyperventilation, thoughts spinning wildly out of control, or feelings of being trapped or in mortal danger (when no danger is present). Freakouts can feel pretty dramatic, but they're usually rooted in reality, and can be quelled by a nice cup of tea or some good conversation. Panic pretty much does what it wants, whether there's a reason to react, or not.

Panick attacks pretty much control you. You feel completely difference than before. Ex: feeling Lightheaded

A panic attack has a range of different symptoms, among them are: shortness of breath, blacking out, shaking, nausea, crying, depersonalization (feeling like you're out of your body), derealization (feeling like nothing is real), rapid heart beat, and dizziness. I typically cry, shake, see spots in my vision, and depersonalize. Freaking out is just a moment where something or someone may scare you but the symptoms aren't as intense as a panic attack.

From my experience I would describe a panic attack as having more of a physical reaction, making you loose physical control in the sense of noticing changes in how your body feels in the situation. whereas 'freaking out' is a mental reaction to a circumstance.