I have spent most of my life mislabeling my attacks. I thought an anxiety attack was caused by outside forces (crowds) while a panic attack was random. This may have caused some confusion with doctors.

When you have an attack caused by large crowds, daunting places, or anything else that you can pinpoint the cause, that is a panic attack.

When you are in bed, minding your own business and suddenly your heart rate jumps to five hundred beats per minute, that is an anxiety attack.

Understanding the difference can be crucial for the proper treatment, whether you do home remedies or Western medicine.