Anxiety Attack vs Panic Attack: Do You Know The Difference?

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The terms are sometimes used incorrectly, but have quite different meanings. Dr. Julie Smith, psychologist, explains in this short video:

Important distinctions

Anxiety attacks are not clinically recognized terms and lack a clear definition, often used to describe a build-up of anxiety before anticipated stressful events (e.g. social gatherings, medical appointments, etc, though of course what it is will vary from person to person—not everyone finds the same things stressful, or has the same kinds of anticipations around things).

Panic attacks, in contrast, are sudden surges of intense fear or discomfort that peak within minutes. They are characterized by symptoms including at least 4 of:

  • palpitations
  • sweating
  • shortness of breath
  • chest pain
  • dizziness
  • fear of losing control or dying

There’s a misconception that panic attacks never have identifiable triggers while anxiety attacks always do.

In reality, both can occur with or without a clear cause. Panic attacks can arise from various conditions, including trauma, OCD, or phobias, and don’t necessarily mean you have a panic disorder. They can also occur as a drug response, without any known underlying psychological condition.

You may also notice that that list of symptoms has quite a bit of overlap with the symptoms of a heart attack, which a) does not help people to calm down b) can, on the flipside, cause a heart attack to be misdiagnosed as a panic attack.

In terms of management:

  • In the moment: breathing exercises, like extending your exhalation (a common example is the “7-11” method, inhaling for 7 seconds and exhaling for 11 seconds), can calm the body and reduce panic symptoms.
  • More generally: to prevent panic attacks from becoming more frequent, avoid avoiding safe environments that triggered an attack, like supermarkets or social gatherings. Gradual exposure helps reduce anxiety over time, while avoidance can worsen it.

If panic attacks persist, Dr. Smith advises to seek help from a doctor or psychologist to understand their root causes and develop effective coping strategies.

For more on all of this, enjoy:

Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!

Want to learn more?

You might also like to read:

How To Set Anxiety Aside

Take care!

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  • Apples vs Bananas – Which is Healthier?

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    Our Verdict

    When comparing apples to bananas, we picked the bananas.

    Why?

    Both apples and bananas contain lots of vitamins, but bananas contain far more of Vitamins A, B, and C.

    Apples beat bananas only for vitamins E and K.

    This may seem like “well that’s 2 vs 3; that’s pretty close” until one remembers that vitamin B is actually eight vitamins in a trenchcoat. Bananas have more of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and B9.

    If you’re wondering about the other numbers: neither fruit contains vitamins B7 (biotin) or B12 (cobalamins of various kinds). Vitamins B4, B8, B10, and B11 do not exist as such (due to changes in how vitamins are classified).

    Both apples and bananas contain lots of minerals, but bananas contain far more of iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium.

    Apples beat bananas only for calcium (and then, only very marginally)

    Both apples and bananas have plenty of fiber.

    Apples have marginally less sugar, but given the fiber content, this is pretty much moot when it comes to health considerations, and apples are higher in fructose in any case.

    In short, both are wonderful fruits (and we encourage you to enjoy both!), and/but bananas beat apples healthwise in almost all measures.

    PS: top tip if you find it challenging to get bananas at the right level of ripeness for eating… Try sun-dried! Not those hard chip kinds (those are mechanically and/or chemically dried, and usually have added sugar and preservatives), but sun-dried.

    Here’s an example product on Amazon

    Warning: since there aren’t many sun-dried bananas available on Amazon, double-check you haven’t been redirected to mechanically/chemically dried ones, as Amazon will try that sometimes!

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  • Ex-Cyclone Alfred has left flooding in its wake. Here’s how floods affect our health

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    Ex-Cyclone Alfred is bringing significant rainfall to southeast Queensland and the Northern Rivers of New South Wales. Flooding has hit Lismore, Ballina, Grafton, Brisbane and Hervey Bay, which received 150 mm of rainfall in two hours this morning.

    Tragically, a 61-year-old man died after being swept away in floodwaters near Dorrigo in northern New South Wales.

    More heavy rain and flash flooding is expected in the coming days as the weather system moves inland and weakens.

    Climate change is making these weather events more intense and frequent. Earlier this year, far north Queensland experienced major flooding. As residents of the Northern Rivers, this latest disaster is especially tough because only three years ago we faced the catastrophic 2022 floods.

    We’ve studied the impact of floods on human health and wellbeing, and found floods are linked to a range of physical and mental health effects in both the short- and long-term.

    So what might you experience if you live in an area affected by these floods?

    We reviewed the evidence

    We recently reviewed research on the physical and mental health impacts of floods across mainland Australia. We included 69 studies in our review, published over 70 years. The majority were from the past ten years, examining the effects of floods in Queensland and NSW.

    These studies suggest people can expect a range of health impacts. Immediate physical health effects of floods include drowning, falls and injuries.

    Chronic diseases such as diabetes or renal disease can also worsen due to factors such as reduced access to transport, health-care services, medications and hospitals.

    Exposure to contaminated floodwaters can lead to skin infections, while respiratory problems can occur due to mould and damp housing in the aftermath of floods.

    Floods also create ideal conditions for mosquito borne infections such as Ross River virus and Murray Valley encephalitis, while also spreading infectious diseases including leptospirosis, a bacterial infection from contaminated soil.

    There are mental health consequences too

    Our review showed floods also affect mental health. The more you’re exposed to floodwaters in your home or business, the worse the mental health impacts are likely to be.

    The After the Flood study examined mental health and wellbeing outcomes six months after the 2017 flood in the Northern Rivers. It found people who had floodwater in their home, yard or business, or who were displaced from their home for a more than six months, were much more likely to have probable post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety or depression, compared to those who didn’t experience flooding or weren’t displaced.

    Repeated natural disasters could compound these mental health consequences. Southeast Queensland and the Northern Rivers in NSW have experienced multiple disasters over recent years. The Northern Rivers faced major flooding in 2017, bushfires in 2020, further major floods in 2022, and now Cyclone Alfred in 2025. These repeated disasters have taken a toll on our community, creating a seemingly never-ending cycle of recovery, rebuilding and preparation for the next disaster.

    Our understanding of the unique challenges faced by communities which experience multiple disasters is still growing. However, a recent Australian study showed exposure to repeated disasters has a compounding effect on people’s mental health, leading to worse mental health outcomes compared to people who experience a single disaster.

    Mums and babies

    The health effects of floods extend far beyond the initial emergency and beyond the infections and mental health consequences you might expect.

    The Queensland Flood Study tracked pregnant women exposed to the 2011 Brisbane floods. Researchers assessed mothers’ stress related to the flood and tracked them and their children at six weeks old, six months, 16 months, 2.5 years, four and six years. It found some links between prenatal stress and developmental outcomes in children.

    Mother breastfeeds baby
    Some evidence suggests maternal stress from floods can affect children’s development. Nastyaofly/Shutterstock

    While the health effects after flooding are diverse, the research to date is not comprehensive. We need to learn more about how floods contribute to or exacerbate existing chronic illnesses, disability and long-term mental health issues.

    The impacts are inequitable

    Flooding exposes and worsens existing inequalities. Socially vulnerable groups are more likely to be exposed to flooding in their homes and have less access to resources to respond and recover from these events, putting some groups at higher risk of negative health impacts afterwards.

    Some research has looked at the disproportionate impacts on people with disabilities and their carers, First Nations communities and people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

    After the 2017 Northern Rivers floods, for example, people with disability and their carers were more likely than others to:

    • experience disrupted access to food, support networks and essentials such as health care and social services
    • continue to be distressed about the flood six months after it happened
    • be at relatively high risk of post-traumatic stress disorder six months after the flood.

    However, targeted flood research exploring the experiences of these vulnerable groups in Australia is limited.

    Moving forward, it’s vital we examine the varied impacts of flood events for more vulnerable groups, so we can better support them in the wake of devastating events such as Cyclone Alfred.

    If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

    Jodie Bailie, Senior Research Fellow, The University Centre for Rural Health and The Centre for Disability Research and Policy, University of Sydney; Jo Longman, Senior Research Fellow, The University Centre for Rural Health, University of Sydney; Rebecca McNaught, Research Fellow, Rural and Remote Health, University of Sydney, and Ross Bailie, School of Public Health, Honorary Professor, University of Sydney

    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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  • Common Hospital Blood Pressure Mistake (Don’t Let This Happen To You Or A Loved One)

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    There’s a major issue in healthcare, Dr. Suneel Dhand tells us, pertaining to the overtreatment of hypertension in hospitals. Here’s how to watch out for it and know when to question it:

    Under pressure

    When patients, particularly from older generations, are admitted to the hospital, their blood pressure often fluctuates due to illness, dehydration, and other factors. Despite this, they are often continued on their usual blood pressure medications, which can lead to dangerously low blood pressure.

    Why does this happen? The problem arises from rigid protocols that dictate stopping blood pressure medication only if systolic pressure is below a certain threshold, often 100. However, Dr. Dhand argues that 100 is already low*, and administering medication when blood pressure is close to this can cause it to drop dangerously lower

    *10almonds note: low for an adult, anyway, and especially for an older adult. To be clear: it’s not a bad thing! That is the average systolic blood pressure of a healthy teenager and it’s usually the opposite of a problem if we have that when older (indeed, this very healthy writer’s blood pressure averages 100/70, and suffice it to say, it’s been a long time since I was a teenager). But it does mean that we definitely don’t want to take medications to artificially lower it from there.

    Low blood pressure from overtreatment can lead to severe consequences, requiring emergency interventions to stabilize the patient.

    Dr. Dhand’s advice for patients and families is:

    • Ensure medication accuracy: make sure the medical team knows the correct blood pressure medications and dosages for you or your loved one.
    • Monitor vital signs: actively check blood pressure readings, especially if they are in the low 100s or even 110s, and discuss any medication concerns with the medical team.
    • Watch for symptoms of low blood pressure: be alert for symptoms like dizziness or weakness, which could indicate dangerously low blood pressure.

    For more on all of this, enjoy:

    Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!

    Want to learn more?

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    The Insider’s Guide To Making Hospital As Comfortable As Possible

    Take care!

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  • Coenzyme Q10 From Foods & Supplements

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    Coenzyme Q10 and the difference it makes

    Coenzyme Q10, often abbreviated to CoQ10, is a popular supplement, and is often one of the more expensive supplements that’s commonly found on supermarket shelves as opposed to having to go to more specialist stores or looking online.

    What is it?

    It’s a compound naturally made in the human body and stored in mitochondria. Now, everyone remembers the main job of mitochondria (producing energy), but they also protect cells from oxidative stress, among other things. In other words, aging.

    Like many things, CoQ10 production slows as we age. So after a certain age, often around 45 but lifestyle factors can push it either way, it can start to make sense to supplement.

    Does it work?

    The short answer is “yes”, though we’ll do a quick breakdown of some main benefits, and studies for such, before moving on.

    First, do bear in mind that CoQ10 comes in two main forms, ubiquinol and ubiquinone.

    Ubiquinol is much more easily-used by the body, so that’s the one you want. Here be science:

    Comparison study of plasma coenzyme Q10 levels in healthy subjects supplemented with ubiquinol versus ubiquinone

    What is it good for?

    Benefits include:

    Can we get it from foods?

    Yes, and it’s equally well-absorbed through foods or supplementation, so feel free to go with whichever is more convenient for you.

    Read: Intestinal absorption of coenzyme Q10 administered in a meal or as capsules to healthy subjects

    If you do want to get it from food, you can get it from many places:

    • Organ meats: the top source, though many don’t want to eat them, either because they don’t like them or some of us just don’t eat meat. If you do, though, top choices include the heart, liver, and kidneys.
    • Fatty fish: sardines are up top, along with mackerel, herring, and trout
    • Vegetables: leafy greens, and cruciferous vegetables e.g. cauliflower, broccoli, sprouts
    • Legumes: for example soy, lentils, peanuts
    • Nuts and seeds: pistachios come up top; sesame seeds are great too
    • Fruit: strawberries come up top; oranges are great too

    If supplementing, how much is good?

    Most studies have used doses in the 100mg–200mg (per day) range.

    However, it’s also been found to be safe at 1200mg (per day), for example in this high-quality study that found that higher doses resulted in greater benefit, in patients with early Parkinson’s Disease:

    Effects of coenzyme Q10 in early Parkinson disease: evidence of slowing of the functional decline

    Wondering where you can get it?

    We don’t sell it (or anything else for that matter), and you can probably find it in your local supermarket or health food store. However, if you’d like to buy it online, here’s an example product on Amazon

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  • Fruit, Fiber, & Leafy Greens… On A Low-FODMAP Diet!

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    Fiber For FODMAP-Avoiders

    First, let’s quickly cover: what are FODMAPs?

    FODMAPs are fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols.

    In plainer English: they’re carbohydrates that are resistant to digestion.

    This is, for most people most of the time, a good thing, for example:

    When Is A Fiber Not A Fiber? When It’s A Resistant Starch.

    Not for everyone…

    However, if you have inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS), including ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, or similar, then suddenly a lot of common dietary advice gets flipped on its head:

    Dietary Intolerances & More

    While digestion-resistant carbohydrates making it to the end parts of our digestive tract are good for our bacteria there, in the case of people with IBS or similar, it can be a bit too good for our bacteria there.

    Which can mean gas (a natural by-product of bacterial respiration) accumulation, discomfort, water retention (as the pseudo-fiber draws water in and keeps it), and other related symptoms, causing discomfort, and potentially disease such as diarrhea.

    Again: for most people this is not so (usually: quite the opposite; resistant starches improve things down there), but for those for whom it’s a thing, it’s a Big Bad Thing™.

    Hold the veg? Hold your horses.

    A common knee-jerk reaction is “I will avoid fruit and veg, then”.

    Superficially, this can work, as many fruit & veg are high in FODMAPs (as are fermented dairy products, by the way).

    However, a diet free from fruit and veg is not going to be healthy in any sustainable fashion.

    There are, however, options for low-FODMAP fruit & veg, such as:

    Fruits: bananas (if not overripe), kiwi, grapefruit, lemons, limes, melons, oranges, passionfruit, strawberries

    Vegetables: alfalfa, bell peppers, bok choy, carrots, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, kale, lettuce, olives, parsnips, potatoes (and sweet potatoes, yams etc), radishes, spinach, squash, tomatoes*, turnips, zucchini

    *our stance: botanically it’s a fruit, but culinarily it’s a vegetable.

    For more on the science of this, check out:

    Strategies for Producing Low FODMAPs Foodstuffs: Challenges and Perspectives ← table 2 is particularly informative when it comes to the above examples, and table 3 will advise about…

    Bonus

    Grains: oats, quinoa, rice, tapioca

    …and wheat if the conditions in table 3 (linked above) are satisfied

    (worth mentioning since grains also get a bad press when it comes to IBS, but that’s mostly because of wheat)

    See also: Gluten: What’s The Truth?

    Enjoy!

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  • Science-backed ways to take care of your mental health this winter

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    The colder, darker months can take a toll on well-being. Two out of five U.S. adults say their mental health worsens in the winter. Plus, about five percent of U.S. adults experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression induced by seasonal changes that typically begins when the weather gets colder and there’s less daylight.

    Fortunately, there are science-backed lifestyle changes that can make this time of year more tolerable. Here’s how to take care of your mental health this winter.

    Exercise regularly

    When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, or “feel-good” chemicals that can improve your mood. A 2024 review of studies found that exercise—particularly walking, jogging, yoga, and strength training—can reduce symptoms of depression.

    Before starting a new exercise routine, talk to your health care provider about the types of exercise that may work best for you.

    Get outside

    While getting outside during the colder months may feel challenging, time outdoors—especially in nature—has been shown to decrease stress, depression, and anxiety. Plus, sunlight helps your body make vitamin D, which may improve your energy and mood.

    You can reap the benefits of nature no matter where you live.

    “Cities can be very energetic and exciting but also can contribute to both conscious and unconscious stress from the sensory overload and challenges of maneuvering in those spaces,” said Jodie M. Smith, a Mayo Clinic nurse practitioner, in a 2024 Mayo Clinic article. “If you live in an urban environment, exploring to find even a small natural reprieve can be extremely beneficial.”

    Prioritize sleep

    Inadequate sleep has been linked to depression and anxiety. Taking steps to improve the quality and duration of your sleep can help you become more resilient against stressors.

    You can improve your sleep by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day; avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and large meals before bed; keeping your bedroom cool and dark; and limiting exposure to distressing media in the evening.

    Practice gratitude

    Research suggests that people who practice gratitude are less likely to experience depression. It can also help you make lifestyle changes that improve your well-being overall.

    “Practicing gratitude may also make someone a bit more motivated to take care of their health,” said Tyler VanderWeele, co-director of the Initiative on Health, Spirituality, and Religion at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in a 2024 Harvard Health Publishing article. “Maybe they’re more likely to show up for medical appointments or exercise. It may also help with relationships and social support, which we know contribute to health.”

    Add more gratitude to your life by sharing what you’re grateful for with others or keeping a gratitude journal.

    Spend quality time with loved ones

    “Social isolation and loneliness have a serious impact on physical and mental health, quality of life, and longevity,” according to the World Health Organization, with effects comparable to other risk factors like smoking.

    Research shows that people who have close confidants are more satisfied with their lives and less likely to experience depression. Even after holiday gatherings have ended, schedule time with friends and family to stay positive and feel supported.

    Limit cell phone use

    Social media use and “doomscrolling” inflammatory news headlines are both associated with anxiety and depression across age groups, especially in teens.

    “Excessive social media use is associated with behaviors, such as poor sleep, increased social comparisons, impact on learning, and exposure to cyberbullying and negative content, that could contribute to the worsening of depressive symptoms,” Dr. Carol Vidal, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said in a Hopkins Medicine article.

    Minimize the time you and your family members spend on your phones by pausing notifications, keeping your phone out of reach when you’re preparing for sleep, using a “grayscale” setting to make scrolling less enticing, and finding phone-free hobbies to enjoy.

    Light therapy

    Light therapy is one treatment for people who have been diagnosed with SAD. It involves sitting in front of a bright light box for 30 to 45 minutes per day to increase light exposure.

    This treatment may not be right for people who take certain medications or have eye diseases. Talk to your health care provider about whether light therapy is right for you and what type of light box you should use.

    Seek professional support

    If your mental health over the winter interferes with your daily functioning, seek help from a therapist, support group, or mental health hotline. Find resources here.

    This article first appeared on Public Good News and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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