Is what I'm experiencing a panic attack?
The past few months I've been having these random spikes in anxiety and I'm not entirely sure if what I'm experiencing is a panic attack or something else. They usually come at out of no where, suddenly I start to feel anxious. Then the anxiety gradually builds for awhile then shoots all the way up. So, it's not like a 0 to 100 sort of thing, its more of a gradually climb to 30 then suddenly 100. If that makes sense.
When the anxiety is at it's peak my chest tightens painfully, my heart thumps hard, and I start feel like I'm not getting enough air. I also get a strong urge to cry and I feel like I'm going crazy or I'm losing control of myself. This happens about once a month, give or take.
The reasons why I think what I'm experiencing isn't a panic attack is, for one, I don't cry. A friend of mine who does get panic attacks told me that during one you cry uncontrollabley. Secondly, this state of heightened anxiety lasts a long time. I'd say for about an hour (though the anxiety isn't at it's peak the whole hour, the intensity wavers througout that hour). And I heard panic attacks only last a few minutes. Finally, I can still function when I'm going through this. I can still move and talk to people and whatnot. Again, heard you couldn't do that during panic attacks.
Anyway, thanks for hearing me out.
Based on the symptoms that you have described, you're experiencing a panic attack. Depending on the person, a panic attack will show itself differently, not crying uncontrollably doesn't mean that you aren't having a panic attack and doesn't even mean that you're not feeling anxiety as acutely as someone who does. Next, panic attacks don't last for a set time; and intensity of a panic attack can fluctuate. Even if you can still function, these episodes of severe anxiety seem to be very distressing and shouldn't just be swept under the rug, just because "what I'm experiencing isn't a panic attack".
