If you suffer from panic attacks and are trying to find the cause you have probably found out that medical research is trying to find the same thing. In piecemeal fashion, the exact mechanism(s) and processes are being put together. Symptoms of panic attacks have been documented as well as a large accumulation of existing knowledge acquired.

many are quite mislead by the term cause, since this doesn't quite describe the whole story. Many conditions can cause panic attacks, but the condition is not completely understood. Activation of personal alarms or threats during conditions that do not warrant it, is one theory of this condition. However, it is not fully known why this happens or what the biological processes are. The information contained in this knowledge will hopefully aid you in requiring additional knowledge about the causes of panic attacks.

In a few cases, panic attacks are a one time occurrence. For those who have them repeatedly however, it is necessary to pay close attention to what is common to their occurrence. For example, a lot of times the attack is triggered by something specifically in the person's environment. You may find out that the panic attacks are in fact just a symptom of another issue like a phobia. The fear of something induces the symptoms associated with a panic attack. Panic attacks are not a necessary symptom of a phobia though. So yes, it is a matter of degree with regard to severity. Medical and psychological research have not concretely determined exactly what the causes are for panic attacks. Of course, most know that there is a connection between the mind and body, however many don't realize that the mind can actually induce the symptoms or make them worse. Panic attacks though have been shown to have a genetic component. Generations of families have seen this phenomena. Genetic disposition is not necessary for a panic attack to occur though.

Chronic fatigue syndrome and hyperventilation are symptoms of panic attacks that can actually be caused by other medical conditions. There have been cases where the medical condition and the panic attacks are in fact symptoms of one another. To make it even more complicating, a well know symptom of panic attacks is hyperventilation, however, this condition can have a complication of panic attacks as well. Then you and your doctors have to try and figure out which one to treat or treat both. It is imperative that you meet with your doctor as soon as possible if you are experiencing hyperventilation on a frequent bases.

Panic attacks and their causes are one of the most confusing symptoms to deal with, since they are understood yet not all in the same breath. For those who suffer with this condition, this can lead to a great deal of frustration. In the end, the best thing you can do is receive an evaluation from a psychologist who specializes in panic attacks to develop a possible course of action.