Understanding Panic Attack versus Psychosis
To begin to understand panic attack versus psychosis or any other psychological terminology, we must define these terms. "Panic" is a sudden, unreasonable fear. A "panic attack" refers to the effects panic has on the human body. For example, when a person panics, the following physical reactions may occur: racing heart, sweating palms, trembling, feeling unreal or crazy, chest pains, nausea, etc. Panic and panic attacks left untreated can become phobias. A "phobia" is an "intense, unrealistic fear, which can interfere with the ability to socialize, work, or go about everyday life, and that is brought on by an object, event or situation."
"Psychosis," on the other hand, is a general term for a break with reality. The literal definition of the term from Greek is "abnormal condition of the soul." Those experiencing psychosis or psychotic episodes have delusions and/or hallucinations. Psychosis is much different than panic and phobias. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) is the psychiatric guidebook to all mental health disorders and diagnoses. It classifies mental disorders under five separate "Axes." The following will help differentiate panic attack from psychosis and panic disorder from psychotic episodes.
Panic versus Psychosis
The DSM-IV classifies all major clinical mental disorders on Axis I. This means that both Panic Disorder and Psychotic Disorders are classified on Axis I. However, the criteria needed to obtain these diagnoses are very different. The criteria for Panic Disorder (without agoraphobia) include the following: recurrent panic attacks and at least one month of concern about future attacks, worry about the result of the attack (i.e. looking crazy in public) and change in patterns of behavior related to the panic attacks. True Panic Disorder is not caused by a medical condition or as the result of a substance or medication.
Psychotic Disorder may include any of the following: presence of hallucinations, delusions, a formal thought disorder, or lack of insight. Psychosis can be brought on by organic, or non-psychological conditions, such as neurological disorders, electrolyte imbalances, illnesses such as the common flu, and substance abuse. A simple way to separate panic attack from psychosis is this: panic attacks happen in reality and psychotic episodes are more about un-reality.
The most important difference between Panic and Psychotic Disorders are that panic attacks go hand in hand with Panic Disorder while psychotic episodes occur in the nine different types of Psychotic Disorders. In a panic attack versus psychosis situation, the panic attack sufferer may be better off in that at least he/she is aware of reality and that the panic attack is abnormal. Those suffering from psychosis may be completely unaware of their surroundings and may have delusions and hallucinate about sights, voices, and smells that do not actually exist. Then again, in a panic attack versus psychosis situation, the psychotic person may be blissfully unaware of the pain they cause others or the embarrassment they cause themselves. Panic attack sufferers live in fear of embarrassing themselves in public by having another attack in which they feel they will lose control, vomit, tremble, or go crazy.
