What Is A Panic Attack Cause?

Many Americans will suffer from panic attacks at one time or another. For some, the experience will be a once or twice in lifetime experience. For others, the attacks will become frequent, getting in the way of daily activities and affecting one's quality of life. In these instances, finding a panic attack cause may be the first step in alleviating or minimizing the attacks. But finding a specific panic attack cause may be easier said than done.

Are Panic Attacks Hereditary?
While panic attacks do seem to run in some families, heredity cannot be chalked up as the only panic attack cause. However, if you have a close family member who suffers from anxiety or panic disorder, there is a higher risk for you as well. Another panic attack cause appears to be a particularly stressful, life changing event like graduating from school, getting married, losing someone close to you or experiencing a divorce.

Physical Causes
There are also physical panic attack causes that include medical conditions or medications you might be taking for them. A panic attack cause like this might include a heart condition like mitral valve prolapse, hypoglycemia or hyperthyroidism. Certain types of medications can also constitute a panic attack cause, like some stimulants or caffeine. Sometimes you may not think about your medication as a panic attack cause. For example, you may be taking a supplement to help you lose weight, not realizing that the formula includes a stimulant that can cause these attacks.

Physiological Causes
There may also be a physiologic panic attack cause that has to do with how certain parts of your brain function. The fight or flight response that we experience during an extremely stressful event like an accident or attack seems to work overtime in those that suffer from regular panic attacks. However, no one knows why this occurs in some people and not in others.

By understanding how to identify a panic attack cause, you can begin the process of controlling these episodes to ensure they don't disrupt your life. Knowing that a particularly stressful event or a family history of the problem could increase your chances of experiencing these episodes will make you more aware of the problem so that you can see your doctor at the first sign of a problem. If you are experiencing these attacks on a frequent basis, it may be a symptom of panic disorder. This condition can be successfully treated with a combination of medications and psychotherapy. If panic attacks are getting in the way of your life, talk to your doctor today.