Origins of panic disorder

[the-devil-within]

i have panic attacks a lot and im just wondering, normally what is the original reason they start in the 1st place?:huh: .
thanks cya x

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Re: origins

Many reasons, devil-within -- some of them physical and some psychological, and some a bit of both.

 

[Daniel E.]

Re: origins

What Causes Panic Disorder: Mind, Body, or Both?

Body: There may be a genetic predisposition to anxiety disorders; some sufferers report that a family member has or had a panic disorder or some other emotional disorder such as depression. Studies with twins have confirmed the possibility of 'genetic inheritance' of the disorder.

Panic Disorder could also be due to a biological malfunction, although a specific biological marker has yet to be identified.

All ethnic groups are vulnerable to panic disorder. For unknown reasons, women are twice as likely to get the disorder as men.

Mind: Stressful life events can trigger panic disorders. One association that has been noted is that of a recent loss or separation. Some researchers liken the 'life stressor' to a thermostat; that is, when stresses lower your resistance, the underlying physical predisposition kicks in and triggers an attack.

Both: Physical and psychological causes of panic disorder work together. Although initially attacks may come out of the blue, eventually the sufferer may actually help bring them on by responding to physical symptoms of an attack.

For example, if a person with panic disorder experiences a racing heartbeat caused by drinking coffee, exercising, or taking a certain medication, they might interpret this as a symptom of an attack and , because of their anxiety, actually bring on the attack. On the other hand, coffee, exercise, and certain medications sometimes do, in fact, cause panic attacks. One of the most frustrating things for the panic sufferer is never knowing how to isolate the different triggers of an attack. That's why the right therapy for panic disorder focuses on all aspects -- physical, psychological, and physiological -- of the disorder.

http://www.apa.org/topics/anxietyqanda.html

Related Links:
Suggestions for Coping with Anxiety
When Panic Attacks (book recommendation)

 

[the-devil-within]

Re: origins

thanks for replying, i waas just wondering why mine coulda started, i aint had the best of lives but they randomly started when i was 11, and im still getting them just as bad at 17 smetimes worse, if having them this long could it damage ur lungs as i get v sharp stabbing pains in the botom area and behind my lungs which is v painful, just wondering if they r linked, i guess the panic attacks coulda started as i moved house then moved back, my gran just died and i was starting a new school, but i got them towards the end of the yr, still linked? and y didnt i get them when the much worse stuff happened in my life? and y do i still have them? thanks all cya xxx

 

[braveheart]

unfortunately what I have learnt myself through suffering them is that when they first come they are out of the blue and they do just that.. 'attack'.....I had a pretty awful childhood and teen years, but didn't get my first panic attacks until my life actually started to feel and be safe and settled.(a few years ago. I am 36 now) like I was safe to let go and feel. my panic attacks are PTSD and dissociation related though.

 

[the-devil-within]

dear braveheart, im so sorry ur childhood and teens wasnt good, i no what thats like really, can i ask what happened?
i started to feel safe at 11 but that all changed, for the worse, but anyway
dissasotiantion, is that wen u dnt no ur doin sumin, i do that, annoying, esp when u SI! anyway hun chat soon much love xxxx

 

[braveheart]

Hi again.

I was bullied every day at school for 10 years, and my father emotionally abused me.

Dissociation is where thinking/feeling are split....I tend to remember what I do. but am powerless to reach myself like when I'm having a flashback, for example.

do your panic attacks come at particular times and in particular places? it might be worth logging them to find out...

 

[the-devil-within]

hey braveheart, im sorry to hear u were bullied and abused, both of these i no well, unfortunatly, i get cut off frm my self smetimes, and i will do things i have no recolection of doin, such a self-harming, or even random stuff like obsessivly tidying my room, erm i tend to get my panic attacks randomly i think, i dont reli remember what im thinking bout after, but i do get them if ive had a memory or a nitemare, i get them alot, not always bad tho, i will try writng them down then thanks for the advice, i was abused physically, emotionally by my childmnder when i was smaller and sexually as well by her 3 sons, my dad is violent towards me and my cousin is a perv, and makes me do things sexually, i told this to a guy i thought was my friend once, he asked a lotta q's bout what my childminders oldest son did, so i told him, a week later he imitated it on me, that scared me soo much, not only did sme1 i trust do that, but the flashbacks i had, i felt so sick and dirty, anyways ill shut up now,
got to go cya xxx

 

[braveheart]

try and stay safe.