subject: Causes of Panic Attacks – Common Causes [print this page] Causes of Panic Attacks Common Causes Causes of Panic Attacks Common Causes
Panic attacks are so incredibly intense in presentation that the person experiencing this medical condition feels an abrupt fear and apprehension triggered by a series of events or even occur at random and without any known cause. It can last for as short as 15 seconds and as long as hours due to a cyclic series of episodes.
There are many different causes of these attacks and a number of them are listed in this article. For example, genetics and the quality of upbringing as a child have been linked to panic attacks. Studies show that relatives share this condition to one another through their genes. Parents being too strict on their children and training an exaggerated cautiousness to the world along with accumulating stress are known to cause anxiety disorders later in life.
The cause of panicattacks can also be by an entirely different disease or disorder. A person with an obsessive compulsive disorder may have an attack if his stress reliever or compulsion is not fulfilled, causing stress levels to accumulate until the person bursts. Reliving a horrific situation by someone with a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can also precipitate the condition. PTSD is also linked to situationally-bound panic attacks, wherein a person associates a situation with panic attack after experiencing one in that particular situation. This is a form of classical conditioning that creates a cognitive and behavioral propensity that a certain situation causes the anxiety attack.
A person with untreated pheochromocytoma can also experience panic attacks due to excessive secretion of certain hormones. Otherdiseases and disorders that are known to cause anxiety disorders include hypoglycemia, Wilson's disease, labyrinthitis, hyperthyroidism, mitral valve prolapse, hyperventilation syndrome, and vitamin B deficiency.
Some drugs have also been identified as the cause of panic attacks. Ritalin, a prescription medication prescribed for children with attention deficit disorders, and fluoroquinolone antibiotics can cause panic attacks as a side-effect. Nearly all the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a class of antidepressant drugs, can cause panic attacks during the start of the therapy. Stimulants such a caffeine and nicotine are also known to cause the condition.
Loss of a loved one, break up from a romantic partner, moving to a new place, losing a job, being diagnosed with a chronic and fatal diseases, extreme fear and shock, all these are common causes of panic attacks.
