Panic attacks and seizures are distinct events that can cause significant distress. While both involve sudden and intense physical and psychological changes, they arise from different underlying mechanisms. Understanding the differences between these conditions is important, especially given common questions about their potential connection. This article clarifies what panic attacks and seizures are and explains their relationship.
Defining Panic Attacks
A panic attack is a sudden surge of intense fear or discomfort that reaches a peak within minutes. These episodes often occur unexpectedly. Individuals may feel a racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, dizziness, or chest pain. Other common physical sensations include sweating, trembling, nausea, and numbness or tingling in the extremities.
Beyond physical symptoms, a panic attack involves psychological distress, such as dread, a fear of losing control, or a fear of dying. These events are not physically dangerous and typically resolve within 5 to 20 minutes. Panic attacks are often associated with anxiety disorders, particularly panic disorder, where individuals experience recurrent and unexpected attacks.
Defining Seizures
Seizures result from abnormal, uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain. This sudden discharge of electrical signals disrupts normal brain function, leading to a range of symptoms. Seizure manifestations vary widely depending on the brain area where the abnormal activity originates and how it spreads. Some seizures involve subtle changes in awareness, while others present as convulsions.
Seizures are broadly categorized into focal seizures, which begin in one specific brain area, and generalized seizures, which involve both sides of the brain. Symptoms can include muscle stiffening (tonic), rhythmic jerking movements (clonic), loss of muscle tone (atonic), or brief, jolt-like movements (myoclonic). A common type is the tonic-clonic seizure, involving a combination of muscle stiffening and jerking, often accompanied by a loss of consciousness.
Distinguishing Panic Attacks from Seizures
While both panic attacks and seizures present with frightening physical symptoms, key differences distinguish them. Panic attacks last longer, often ranging from a few minutes to 20 minutes, whereas most epileptic seizures are briefer, usually lasting seconds to two minutes. During a panic attack, a person remains fully aware of their surroundings and can interact, even if detached or disoriented. In contrast, many seizures involve impaired consciousness or a complete loss of awareness.
The post-event state also differs. After a panic attack, individuals often feel exhausted, anxious, or emotionally drained. Following a seizure, a person may experience a “postictal state,” characterized by confusion, drowsiness, headache, or disorientation, and might not remember the event. Physical movements during a panic attack, like thrashing or shaking, are less rhythmic and more varied than repetitive movements seen in seizures, such as lip smacking or consistent jerking. Psychological triggers like stress or anxiety often precede panic attacks, while seizures arise from electrical brain activity.
Understanding the Relationship
Panic attacks do not directly cause epileptic seizures. They are distinct conditions with different underlying mechanisms: one psychological, the other abnormal brain electrical activity. However, the two can be mistaken for each other due to overlapping symptoms. Anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, are more common in individuals with epilepsy. This co-occurrence suggests a relationship where epilepsy can contribute to anxiety, and anxiety may influence seizure frequency.
A separate category of events, Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES), further complicates the distinction. PNES resemble epileptic seizures but are not caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Instead, they are a physical manifestation of psychological distress, trauma, or mental health issues. These involuntary events are often triggered by psychological stressors and can include convulsive movements, changes in awareness, or other seizure-like behaviors. PNES are distinct from both panic attacks and epileptic seizures.
When to Seek Professional Help
If you experience new or unexplained episodes resembling panic attacks or seizures, consult a healthcare professional. This is important if you are unsure whether your symptoms are panic attacks, seizures, or another condition. Seek medical attention if symptoms worsen, become more frequent, or significantly interfere with your daily life.
Individuals with known panic attacks should seek help if their symptoms change in nature or severity. If you have a history of seizures and experience new or different types of events, medical evaluation is recommended. A proper diagnosis from a healthcare provider is important to determine the cause of your symptoms and guide treatment.