Even normally reliable and scientific sources fail to make the correct distinctions in this area.
PANIC DISORDER
People with panic believe very strongly that the "attack" they experienced means that something is physically wrong with them.A great many people who experience their first panic attack find their way to the hospital emergency room or go directly to their physician's office. They feel their life is in danger and they legitimately want a diagnosis to explain it. When doctors report that they cannot find anything wrong with the person medically, it only heightens the person's anxiety. After all, something MUST BE WRONG or else how do you explain the horrific sensations and emotions they went through during the panic attack? Unfortunately, many people are never told that they are experiencing anxiety, and that a panic attack could be the culprit.
Sometimes, especially when the panic occurs frequently and in many diverse places, the person feels more and more restricted as to where they can go and still be safe. When a person feels their "safety zone" is a limited area around their house, and they fear they’ll have panic attacks as a result of getting too far away from this protection and safety, they may become agoraphobic.
SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER
People with social anxiety disorder do not believe that their anxiety is related to a medical or physical illness or disease. This type of anxiety occurs in most social situations, especially when the person feels on display or is the center of attention.
The socially-anxious person has extremely high anxiety when they're put into a position where they must make small talk to a stranger or interact with others in a group. Their anxiety becomes worse when the person fears that they are going to be singled out, ridiculed, criticized, embarrassed, or belittled. People with social anxiety find it terrifying to interact with unfamiliar people, give any type of public presentation, or even be publicly noticed. For example, the office may be planning a birthday party for the socially-anxious person -- and instead of this being a pleasant and happy experience -- it will cause great anticipatory fear and dread -- because they will be put on display... in front of all those people... and then they fear they will do something to make a fool of themselves...The person with social anxiety is sometimes viewed as "quiet", "shy", "introverted", or "backward". They are continually concerned that other people will notice their anxiety and they will be humiliated and embarrassed as a result. Most people with social anxiety disorder hold jobs that are well beneath their capabilities and capacities because they fear job interviews, working in a position where there is too much public contact, and being promoted to a position where they would have to supervise other people. When socially-anxious people isolate themselves as much as possible and are somehow enabled to stay at home and not work, their social contact can drift down to the immediate family or to no one at all.
