What an Anxiety Attack Feels Like—and What to Do When It Happens
Between managing work, family responsibilities, and the unpredictability of life, it can feel like we're constantly on edge. When all that worry reaches a tipping point, you might experience what's often called an "anxiety attack." While "anxiety attack" isn't a formal medical diagnosis, it describes a very real experience that many people face when their anxiety spikes to an overwhelming level.
What Does an Anxiety Attack Feel Like?
An anxiety attack typically happens when someone dealing with ongoing worry or stress experiences a sudden intensification of anxious feelings. Your body and mind shift into overdrive, and it can feel like everything is spiraling out of control.
Common symptoms of an anxiety attack include:
Racing heart or pounding chest
Persistent tension throughout your body
Thoughts that won't slow down or stop looping
Nausea or stomach discomfort
Feeling restless, on edge, or unable to sit still
A sense that something terrible is about to happen
These symptoms can develop gradually or suddenly when stress reaches a breaking point.
How Is This Different From a Panic Attack?
People often use "anxiety attack" and "panic attack" interchangeably, but they're not quite the same thing. A panic attack is a specific clinical diagnosis characterized by distinct symptoms.
Panic attacks typically involve an overwhelming surge of fear that peaks quickly, often within minutes. They can include intense physical symptoms, such as hyperventilation, numbness in the lips or fingertips, dizziness, or an urgent need to urinate. What makes panic attacks particularly unsettling is that they can strike out of nowhere, without any clear trigger.
Anxiety attacks, on the other hand, usually have an identifiable stressor behind them. They tend to build more gradually and can last for extended periods, sometimes hours. The intensity is often less severe than a panic attack, though still deeply uncomfortable.
What to Do When You're in the Middle of an Attack
When anxiety peaks, there are practical strategies that can help you regain a sense of control.
5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique: Look around and identify five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. This technique helps shift your focus from internal panic to your external environment.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Begin with your toes and work your way up through various muscle groups, tensing each one for a few seconds before releasing. This physical focus can help distract from anxious thoughts.
Box Breathing: Start by drawing a breath inward over four seconds, maintain that breath for another four seconds, then let the air out across a four-second count, followed by a final four-second pause.
Cold Water Immersion: Submerge your face in cold water for about 30 seconds. This activates a response in your nervous system that can naturally lower your heart rate and slow your breathing.
Stopping an Anxiety Attack Before It Starts
Sometimes you can catch anxiety before it escalates into a full attack. One helpful approach is to separate your thoughts into three categories: things you can control, things you can influence, and things you can only worry about.
Focus your energy on the innermost circle; what is within your control. This might include your morning routine, how you respond to situations, your self-talk, or the boundaries you set with others. Making a mental or written list of these controllable elements can help restore a sense of power when anxiety tries to convince you that everything is spiraling.
When to Reach Out for Professional Support
If your symptoms are interfering with your daily life, work, relationships, or physical health, it's time to seek help. Signs that anxiety might be more than everyday stress include:
Constant tension or feeling on edge
Racing thoughts you can't control
Difficulty sleeping or persistent fatigue
Irritability that affects your relationships
Physical symptoms like headaches or stomach issues
Avoiding situations or activities because of worry
Anxiety or trauma counseling can provide you with additional tools and strategies tailored to your specific experiences. Reach out to schedule an appointment today.
