Biological and environmental factors play a huge role when it comes to panic attacks. There still is really no full understanding of why panic attacks happen. Panic attacks cause profuse sweating, elevated heart palpitations, shortness of breath, trembling and numerous other symptoms. A panic attack is the sudden onset of intense anxiety, characterized by feelings of intense fear and apprehension.

Scientists are researching the facts to learn if genetics could play a possible role in panic attacks. They are trying to see if it is possible that the disorder is passed down like eye color and hair color. In addition, they are trying to pinpoint, if possible, which parent the traits are coming from. It has already been proven that certain disorders involving the brain are hereditary. If science could indeed prove that a person has a predisposition to the attacks then maybe sufferers could begin treatments at an earlier age and prevent suffering for a lifetime.

In essence, it is very possible that if there is a family member who has had any panic attacks causing panic disorders, anxiety, depression or any other mental disorders, it will make it more probable for next generations to carry these specific traits. The other possibility for a biological cause can be from abnormalities in the brain itself and the way the brain functions. These types can stem from disorders such as schizophrenia or post traumatic stress disorders. It is also suggested that the body's fight or flight response to danger could very well be present while experiencing a panic attack. This could be triggered even though there is no evidence of danger anywhere around you; the reason for this response is unknown.

In times of today's economic woes, it is no wonder why we are becoming more and more stressed every day. And the more stress that our bodies go through can become the panic attacks cause. Stress can come in so many different ways, whether it is from daily events, death or other life transitions or the separation of a loved one. Researchers have discovered that once your body becomes overwhelmed with stress, the resistance of your body is compromised and that is usually when panic attacks are triggered. So it is very important to try the best that you can to keep stress at bay so that when these sorts of things happen you are in a better mindset to be able to handle a little bit of what life sometimes throws at us.

Many attacks can be brought on through environmental causes. Anyone battling addictions such as alcoholism or drug use are more prone to having panic attacks, especially when going through withdrawal symptoms. Panic attacks are greatly misunderstood, so it may be beneficial for the sufferer to go through more than one type of therapy to get through their fears; most of the time the fear is fear of repeated attacks. Normally a sufferer will have an attack out of nowhere and when this happens they tend to bring on other symptoms themselves by responding to the initial symptoms. It is a vicious cycle that just needs help through behavioral changes.