Panic attacks can appear without warning and can completely debilitate the person having the attack in seconds. They may last over 10 minutes and cause the person to experience chest pain, heart palpitations, dizziness, nausea, and extreme feelings of terror and dread. They are so bad the person having the attack often fears that they are dying. Panic attacks are a form of anxiety disorder that will affect 20% of all Americans at some point in their lives.

Panic attacks are essentially a malfunctioning trigger of the body’s natural alarm system, a blend of mental and body reactions. This alarm system, known as the fight or flight response, is there to allow us to respond to life threatening situations, it is a tool for self preservation. In certain cases however, this emergency response system is triggered for no apparent cause and has extreme effects. The causes of panic attacks are not really known.

There are several factors that may cause them, but there is no specific known cause or definitive answer of who will experience panic attacks. People with a family history of anxiety related problems often will have them too, but this is not always true as people with no family history can get them as well. People with a history of childhood abuse or serious illness also seem to be susceptible to panic attacks. Overly sensitive, anxious people and perfectionist’s personalities are also susceptible.

These attacks may also by symptoms of other mental disorders, such as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder or schizophrenia, or they may be reactions to substance abuse withdrawal. Panic attacks can also be directly caused by a panic disorder, where the person is so afraid of having another panic attack that they trigger an attack to begin. Certain medical conditions like thyroid abnormalities or enema may also cause panic attacks to occur. There is also the possibility of food additives (like aspartame), certain types of food dyes or even some nutritional deficiencies that may cause people to experience panic attacks.

Panic attacks are a serious medical disorder that requires treatment to overcome. With treatment however, it is possible to live a normal attack free life.

Filed under: Causes of Panic/Anxiety Attacks

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