Panic attacks can occur for several reasons. Usually, a panic attack will last for about ten minutes. Your body will react by an increased blood pressure, as well as dizziness and fear overtaking you. If you believe that you are having a panic attack, then it is important to look at the causes behind it. By doing so, you will be able to prevent panic attacks from continuously occurring.


Some believe that panic attacks are an inherited trait. It has been shown that there are certain genes that are related to panic attacks occurring. These genes have mutated and caused the brain to not respond properly in certain situations. However, panic attacks are not most likely to occur because of genetics, but from other situations. These situations are known to be a response to either external happenings or from internal problems that are being compensated for in the body.


Panic attacks may also be because of the body's response to a certain environment. If there is shallow chest breathing that is happening, then the body will respond by trying to speed up the heart rate. It also causes an imbalance between oxygen and carbon dioxide. As a result, it causes fear and terror to overtake a person.
If shallow chest breathing is not occurring, the brain may be responding anyway. There is a nerve in the brain that responds to feeling a lack of oxygen is occurring in the body. It causes the body to respond by making it feel like it is suffocating. Often times, this brain is triggered in error.


Severe stress is one of the major factors that is associated behind panic attacks. If you are coping with a major change in your life, such as loss of a loved one, or a tragedy, then it causes extra stress to be added into your life. If this becomes difficult for you to handle, the body may try to relieve this stress physically.
Anxiety and phobias may also trigger a panic attack to happen.


The most well known phobia that is related to panic attacks is agoraphobia. This is a fear of places. When one is in these situations, they will mentally trigger something in their brain that makes them feel as though they are suffocating or in a situation they can't get out of. As a result, they will begin to have a panic attack.


Many times, panic attacks are not defined by a particular event that happens at that direct time. Most that have panic attacks say that they come out of nowhere and they are uncertain of why. The event does not have to be a present one. Often times, the memory triggers something that was tragic or stressful. This can be the cause of a panic attack occurring.


If this certain situation has not been handled or overcome mentally, then it will result in a panic attack. If you are in a traumatic situation, it may also cause a panic attack. Part of the mental responses to panic attacks is that there is a fear of dying that is stimulated in the brain as a result. If you are in a situation where a traumatic event is occurring, it may cause your body to react to this fear that you have.


Panic attacks, no matter what the situation, are important to recognize and begin to handle. If you don't look into the reasoning behind the panic attacks, it may lead to more serious complications. Panic disorders start to become a part of your life. This may lead to more phobias and problems that occur on more consistent basis. As a result, it may become harder for you to function normally from every day life.


Panic attacks have both physical and mental attachments to them. By understanding what these are and knowing how they affect you, it can help you to overcome them easier. For some, panic attacks occur several times during their life, for others, a panic attack will occur once and will never happen again. By understanding what a panic attack is and does, you will be able to make sure that panic attacks become more infrequent or completely absent from your life.