What Causes Panic Attacks
What causes panic attacks? There are many possible answers to that
question but is important you understand what a panic attack is first.
This kind of attack normally presents without a warning and can make
you experience intense fear and anxiety. The typical attack generally
last some minutes but there might be some instances when the attacks
can last for hours.
Anxiety or panic attacks that can last
hours are just many attacks that come one after the other. The
intensity of them can vary. Some attacks only involve some sweating
while others can be so extreme that you can pass out.
Panic
attacks can affect you in many ways that you might not be aware of.
Besides feeling extremely anxious there are other effects that can even
endanger your life. The anxiety that you feel is followed by the
release of some chemicals in the body that can accelerate the heart and
increase the flow of blood to certain areas of the body. The major
muscles of the body are the ones receiving most of the blood when it’s
severely stressed. Normally these effects are nothing to worry about
but if stress is maintained for too long conditions like hypertension
and heart disease might appear.
Other effects are
temporary respiratory problems, blurred vision as a result of pupil
dilation, headaches and even nausea. Occasional anxiety attacks will
not hurt you but if they happen on a daily basis your health can
deteriorate. So what causes panic attacks? There are many factors but
one of them is hereditary. If there is a family history of panic
attacks you are prone to experience them.
Some chemical
imbalances can alter the brain chemistry and make you suffer frequently
from these panic problems. Another factor that is sometimes overlooked
is if you are a person that has sleep apnea. This condition can disrupt
your resting and your brain chemistry as well. Panic attacks can also
be caused by breathing too much carbon dioxide. High levels of this gas
can make the body believe is suffocating which results in experiencing
panic. Hyperthyroidism can also cause your heart to accelerate and make
you feel like you are having an attack.
Stress is the common
denominator in most panic attacks; so controlling it is the key to
prevent the panic feeling.
Top
Return
from What Causes Panic Attacks to Chest Tightness
Back
to How to Lower Blood Pressure Fast
