The question of the causes for a person to suffer panic attacks is sometimes more difficult to answer than one would think. Of the various common answers put forward, one of the most frequent would be that a fear of some kind is behind them. The panic attack occurs when a person experiences a fear great enough to cause physiological changes in the body. This leaves the person in a weak state and vulnerable to losing control and having a panic attack.

We are all different and, as a result, the analysis of panic attack causes is complicated and varied widely between people. There are five categories, which the causes often fall into. The five are: pharmacological triggers; improper nutrition; phobias; hereditary causes, and lack of assertiveness. The option of doing nothing about panic is not advisable. The day that you experience an attack causing loss of control, you are best to begin seeking help and advice for how to deal with it in the right way.

Psychological and Physical

The physical and psychological causes of panic attacks both need to be considered when dealing with the condition.

One of the keys to dealing with causes of panic attacks lies in empowering the self. Even when you feel down about the attacks, it is important to try to be positive and stay as strong as possible. Often, it is suggested that a person may have suffered a trauma, which has led to a phobia and this is at the root of panic attacks. The theory is that there has been a permanent effect on a person following the event and it is buried deep in the memory. It periodically causes panic attacks after this. Since the memory will most likely always be there, the attacks could continue for the rest of the person's life.

Biology also has a role to play in the causes of panic attacks and their relation to changes in the body. One theory states that a person who is lacking in vitamin B is more susceptible to panic attacks. Bad diet is to blame. Similarly, someone suffering hyperthyroidism or hypoglycemia may find themselves experiencing panic, so too might those going through post traumatic stress or even an inner ear problem.

Sometimes, the cause of panic attack can be linked to alcohol consumption or the use of drugs, particularly withdrawal from drugs. Another cause could be hyperventilation syndrome. There are also certain short-term causes, such as suffering from a major bereavement in the family.