Understanding What Causes Panic Attacks: The First Step to Recovery

Do you know what causes panic attacks? Yes, high anxiety certainly plays a big part of it, but did you know that a full blown panic attack is actually caused by your own fear of the attack itself? Did you also know that learning to understand the workings of a panic attack can help you to stop them for good? Read on.

Anxiety is our body’s reaction to an impending threat or danger; this is also where the fight/flight concept comes from. When your brain senses danger—real or imagined—it begins to increase your adrenaline levels and prepare you to either fight or flee the threat. It’s ironic to realize that the same mechanics that were intended to help us survive against danger is the same that can cause a panic attack when not properly understood. Certain situations may cause you to feel anxious which then sets this whole cycle in motion and before you know it; your heart is beating quickly, you begin to sweat and feel an overwhelming fear that runs away with you until it is a full blown panic attack. The symptoms felt during a panic attack only tend to make matters worse because they make the person suffering worry that something is terribly wrong with them. It really is just one big vicious circle.

Understanding what causes panic attacks is the first step in learning to control them and eventually stop them for good. Learning to believe that you are not in any real danger and that a panic attack cannot harm you is a big step towards recovery but can be difficult to keep in mind and rationalize when anxiety sets in, but it is possible with a little time and patience as well as a willingness to try. Knowing that there is no known case of anyone ever having died or suffered any physical harm because of a panic attack can certainly help you fear them a little less. Another common fear is that of embarrassment due to being seen while experiencing a panic attack and this is one that is easily remedied by going somewhere that you can be in private while you rationalize what is happening and try to get control over it.

When you next feel the familiar anxiety beginning to build, refer back to this article and your understanding of what causes panic attacks to help you keep it at bay.