There are several causes and triggers of panic attacks:

• Hereditary causes : It’s not uncommon that panic attacks run in families, and if your family members experience this often, then you might have inherited this condition from them. Of course, panic attacks can occur even if there was no case in your family. There are environmental factors that can cause this, some of them being overcautious parents and accumulated stress over time.[ad]

• Phobias : it’s common for people to have a panic attack if they are exposed to a phobic situation or object

• Biological causes: suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder, hypoglycemia, Wilson’s disease, inner ear disturbances, post traumatic stress and other illnesses can also cause panic attacks.

• Short term triggering causes : like personal loss, a breakup from a long relationship, life changes, use of stimulants like cigarettes and coffee or other drugs

• Medications : there are some medications that have as a side effect panic attacks, or anxiety feelings. However, this can be a temporary side effect, that only  occurs when the patient starts taking the medication for the first time and they should be gone in a couple of weeks.

• Alcohol, medication or drug withdrawal: Depending on the substances used, either with or without prescription, you might experience panic attacks, as you stop using them. This is a part of the rebound effect or withdrawal syndrome. Benzodiazepine and alcohol withdrawal is prone to give you panic attacks.

• Hyperventilation: can cause respiratory alkalosis and also hypocanpia, which in turn causes symptoms like rapid heart beat, lightheadedness and dizziness which in turn can cause panic attacks

• Situation bound panic attacks: when you associate situations with panic attacks you create a predisposition to having panic attacks in that situation or situations. Later you will find how you can work this to your advantage.

• Lack of assertiveness : More and more studies suggest that persons that suffer from panic attacks are the most likely the ones that engage in a passive interaction and communication with others. When you are too polite and respectful and you let everybody take advantage of you, you have are having an un-assertive behavior, which contributes to panic attacks.

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