The Difference Between Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder

Anxiety disorder is a cluster of mental disorders that often leads to stress, anxious feelings, panic, etc. The symptoms of GAD or generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorders have several commonalities such as feelings of anxiousness, fear, and stress that become uncontrollable  For this reason people often get confused between GAD and panic disorder. Therefore, they tend to choose the wrong treatment or management.

So, if you are struggling with symptoms like a racing heart, uncontrollable fear, anxiety, palpitation, etc., and wondering whether you are suffering from panic disorder or GAD, keep reading! In this blog, we will share a detailed discussion of the difference between general anxiety disorder and panic disorder.

What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

Before you understand the difference between GAD and panic disorder, let's learn about what is a general anxiety disorder or GAD first. GAD stands for general anxiety disorder. It is a common type of anxiety characterized by uncontrollable excessive and even unrealistic fear about different activities and events. Some of the common complications of GAD or generalized anxiety disorder include depression, heart problems, and suicidal tendencies.   

Symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder or GAD has certain characteristics or symptoms that help to differentiate GAD from other similar mental conditions and access the right treatment easily. Below, we will share the common symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder briefly-

·         Fear-based and hyper-analytical though pattern

·         Overthinking, excessive stress, or worry

·         Sleep-related problems such as sleeplessness or sleeping too much

·         Cold feet and hands indicate poor blood circulation

·         Irritability, agitation, and exhaustion

·         Digestive problems such as diarrhea, acid reflux, and nausea

·         Dizziness, light-headedness and fainting

What is Panic Disorder?

Now that we have learned about GAD or generalized anxiety disorder along with common symptoms that help to distinguish it from other conditions, it’s time to learn about panic disorder. Panic disorder is also a type of mental or, behavioral disorder that falls under anxiety disorder. Panic disorder is primarily characterized by recurring and unexpected panic attacks. Also, attacks often occur within any explainable trigger. Common complications associated with panic disorder include depression and substance abuse disorder.

Symptoms of Panic Disorder

Like GAD, panic disorder also comes with several common symptoms that help to distinguish panic disorder from other anxiety disorders. Here are some common symptoms of panic disorder-

·         Un-warned muscle tension or soreness

·         Fear of going insane or losing mental control

·         Sleep-related problems include insomnia, restless sleeping, and nightmares or night terrors.

·         Depersonalization is a state where you develop a feeling of being detached from who you are.

·         Breathing difficulties which include shortness of breathing, rapid breathing along chest tightness

·         Chest pain, shaking or trembling

·         Excessive sweating

·         Dizziness, feeling weak, or fainting

Coexistence of these mental health conditions

There are differences in the symptoms of GAD and panic disorder. It is mainly because anxiety disorder is caused by serious mental health conditions and unhealed traumatic experiences in the past. On the other hand, panic disorder occurs when a person experiences panic attacks more often. However, both of these conditions cause continuous high-stress levels in people. Some people can also experience both of these mental conditions at the same time. Also, both GAD and panic disorder can occur alongside other mental health conditions such as depression, substance use disorder, and social anxiety disorder.

Understanding the symptoms is not easy as physical health conditions such as lung diseases, heart diseases, neurological diseases, and hyperthyroidism can also mimic GAD or panic disorder symptoms. That is why, one must seek guidance from a healthcare expert who can evaluate the symptoms and prescribe appropriate treatment.

How does Alprazolam work on anxiety and panic disorder?

Alprazolam is often prescribed by healthcare practitioners for treating anxiety and panic disorder. Alprazolam belongs to a class of medicine known as benzodiazepine. Benzodiazepines are FDA-approved medications for the treatment of panic and anxiety disorders. Alprazolam is a central nervous system depressant that reduces the abnormal activities or excitement in the brain caused by an anxiety disorder or a panic attack. It also creates a calming effect on the brain by increasing the effects of GABA, thereby reducing the symptoms of mental health conditions. However, Alprazolam is a short-term medication for anxiety and panic disorder. And, in order to get effective results from the use of Alprazolam, one must take it with other allied medications and therapies. It is also important to take Alprazolam as per doctor’s prescription.

Tips to safely use Alprazolam for Anxiety and Panic Disorder

To ensure the effectiveness of Alprazolam, one must adhere to some safety precautions while taking the medicine. Also, a safe use can reduce the chances of side effects. Here are some tips to safely use Alprazolam for anxiety and panic disorder:

• Alprazolam is a prescription-only medicine and one should use it if recommended by a doctor for their mental health conditions.
• One should be aware of Alprazolam interactions with other medications and substances and avoid them while using Alprazolam.
• One should discuss their medical history with their doctor before taking Alprazolam.
• One should strictly follow their prescribed dosage of Alprazolam.
• One should not suddenly increase the Alprazolam dosage or stop using it without informing their doctor.
• Alprazolam is a short-term medication for anxiety and panic disorder and long-term use can result in dependency. That is why, one should use it only for the prescribed period of time.

 Conclusion

Remember the symptoms of panic disorder and GAD seem so similar that any non-medical person can misdiagnose the condition. Also, these two conditions have a wide range of symptoms that sometimes can get confused with other mental, neurological, or health conditions. So, it would be wise to avoid self-diagnosis or diagnosing with the help of not medical person because misdiagnosis and treatment can lead to serious consequences. Alprazolam is a benzodiazepine class drug that works in managing the symptoms of both generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder by calming down the central nervous system. In this blog, we have discussed the primary difference between generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder. However, before you determine whether you have GAD or panic disorder or take Alprazolam for symptom management consulting with a healthcare provider is essential.