The Reason Behind Panic Attacks and Disorders
A panic attack is defined as a quick experience of intense fear or discomfort. The symptoms are an extremely high heart rate, difficulty to breathe, trembling, sweating, and worries about losing control. People who suffer from these attacks are feeling more than just brief anxiety, but instead say that is the most terrifying experience in their life. There are two reasons why people experience panic attacks: genetics and triggered "false alarms."
A psychologist names Regina A. Shih claims that panic attacks and panic disorders run in families. This is found true especially in identical twins who are two to three times more likely to have an attack if the other twin did than fratermal twins. This is called "biological vulnerability" toward anxiety.
Also, attacks stem from "false alarms". This is when your body reacts as it would if there was a real danger. Your "fight or flight" instinct takes over even though there is no real danger. This is dangerous because our body remembers what triggered the attck and it is more likely to have another attack the next time that trigger is prevelant. This is caused either from being taught as a child certain things are dangerous even if they are not or the fear that world is dangerous and cannot be controlled.
A panic disorder is diagnosed when the person suffering from attacks begins to avoid all situations which would trigger another attack. These situations include places where it would be embarrasing to have an attack, places where it is difficult to escape, and places where it is difficult to find help. One symptom of panic disorder is a prolonged experience of stress just thinking about having an attack, which can actually cause you to have one.
I personally have had three panic attacks and so have other members of my family. While I myself have never had a panic disorder, I can attest that panic attacks are extremely terrifying. You know you are scared and are very aware that it is irrational, yet you cannot bring yourself to overcome your fear. In my family's case it is genetic since it spans a couple generations. It was very ecouraging to know that it can be genetic and that there wasn't something seriously wrong with me.
Science American Online Article
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=why-do-we-panic&print=true
posted by Joy S. @ 11:50 AM
3 Comments:
I never knew that panic disorders were genetic. It's interesting to find out what things we get from our parents, grandparents, and so on. I would have never thought that a panic attack was genetic. I always thought that people get them when they are over stressed or anxious about something.
I didn't know that panic disorders were genetic. Panic attacks are very scary, and although I've never had one, a member of my family has. The fact that panic attacks are genetic is encouraging to those who have experienced them because they might not feel like something is wrong with them or like they're weird.
It is strange that panic attacks can be passed down from generation to generation. When I think of panic attacks I think of someone lossing control over all of their emotions. It seems strange to be passed down. I have known someone who had to go to the hospital, because she could not calm down. It must be a crazy feeling losing control over your body.
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