People often think anxiety and panic disorder are the same. But no, they are different. Anxiety It's normal to become anxious from time to time. But if you start getting anxious too often and the reasons are irrational, you may be diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder. It can even interfere with your daily activities and disturb your work life. Panic Disorder Repeated panic attacks characterize the panic disorder. It is more severe compared to generalized anxiety disorder and has symptoms that include light headache, sweating, vomiting, nausea, and others. It usually lasts from a few minutes to several hours.