Why do people have panic attacks?

Common Causes of Panic Attacks

Even though these attacks usually comeout of the blue, they are closely connected to you both physicallyand mentally. Namely, there are many different causes of thiscondition and people can suffer from panic attacks due to variousfactors.

One of the most common causes aretraumatic experiences which usually take place inchildhood. Things like child abuse, parent divorce, poverty, disabilityand others like these, stay in child's memory even when he/shebecomes a grown up person. Then, upon witnessing the same things onceagain, the person re-lives his/her traumas and has a panic attack.

Alternatively, phobias are a commoncause of panic attacks as well. When people have these unexplainablefears of certain things, they react to them by experiencing a panicattack quite often.

Also, the proneness to panic attacksmay have nothing to do with external factors and stimulants. Rather,it can be hereditary. If some members of your family suffer or havesuffered from panic attacks, there is a high likelihood that you willsuffer from them too. Even though your parents need to suffer from thisdisorder in order for your chances to be greater, you can still endup having panic attacks if some of your distant relatives had them aswell.

Medications can cause this problem to, since panic attack may be as a side-effect of some drugs.

Finally, stress is a common trigger ofpanic attacks. We are exposed to stress daily and endure enormouspressure at work. Afterward, we are supposed to bear all theobligations of having a family and being in different relationshipswith many people. All these factors, and many more, can go wrongsometimes and the pressure can rise making you collapse under it,suffering from panic attacks.

Symptoms of a Panic Attack

The main symptom of a panic attackstriking is feeling as if you are about to experience a heart attack.Thus, your heart will start racing and your breathing will becomefaster and less harmonic. You will feel terror and the sensation ofimpending doom, being incapable of moving correctly or reacting tothe things around you. Dizziness, numbness, sweating, nausea andchest pain are all common as well.

Usually, an attack lasts for about 10minutes, even though it can last for longer. Attacks can take placefrequently one after the other, leaving only dread andfear in between.

Treatment is, therefore, necessary. Onecan choose between therapy and medications. Either way, you shouldseek medical assistance once you start being troubled by panicattacks and find a cure for this troublesome condition.