What Causes Panic Attacks

If you have ever heard of or experienced anxiety you are probably wondering what causes panic attacks. The answer is somewhat complicated there are underlying causes and then there are the common triggers that set an anxiety attack off.

Biological cause

What causes panic attacks in the first place is an enormous release of hormones like adrenaline. This is what is commonly referred to as the fight or flight response. It is a primitive response that prepares the body to either fight your way out of a bad situation or run for your life. This is a good response to have if you are facing a dangerous situation not so good if you are having lunch with a co-worker. These biological causes of panic attacks can also be linked to other disorders such as:

Obsessive compulsive disorder
Hypoglycemia
Post traumatic stress syndrome
Wilsons disease
Vitamin B deficiency
Inner ear disturbance

Since there are, several medical answers for what causes panic attacks your physician may want to rule out many if not all of the above conditions before beginning a course of treatment.

Triggers

Triggers are similar to causes; however, they are usually not the underlying culprit in the disorder. In some cases, they are but more times than not they are just the catalyst for an anxiety attack.

Stress

There are many ideas about what causes panic attacks like these. Some underlying causes are related to increased levels of stress in everyday life. Today more than ever people are faced with demanding jobs, increasing prices and an economy that is in horrible shape. Add to that a couple of kids and the dog and it is easy to see that life has many opportunities for people to become overwhelmed by anxiety.

Heredity

Research has shown that heredity plays a role in what causes panic attacks as well. It is suggested that there is a genetic and environmental link to anxiety running in families. For instance if you have a parent that is constantly worried about the many bad things that could happen you may begin to share that view of the world, hence the environmental aspect.

Passive

Passive people tend to be more likely to suffer from anxiety than others are. This comes from the way they will repress their emotions and put on a happy face. Eventually all of that pent up emotion has to go somewhere and thus a panic attack can ensue.

Bottom Line

There are many, many answers to what causes panic attacks and if you have experienced one the first thing you should do is contact your family medical professional. He or she can test for other medical conditions and put you on the right track for immediate treatment. Never allow this disorder to remain untreated, it can quickly spiral out of control and could leave you with an intense fear of even leaving your home. Sufferers have described panic attacks as the most terrifying thing you can experience and no one should have to live in constant fear.

Please also check out my other guide on cures for panic attacks and treatment for panic disorder

What Causes Panic Attacks

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What Causes Panic Attacks

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