Article by Gary M. Miller

anxiety attacks can be caused a multitude of things including stressors, financial problems, relationship problems, bereavement, medical conditions and medication. However, as with any medical condition, there is usually more than one cause, some of which can be interrelated.

When a doctor is trying to determine the causes of a patient’s anxiety attacks, he will assess environmental issues, traits in the person’s personality, the patient’s brain chemistry, any past traumas and the family medical history. Firstly, the environmental issues may include poverty, childhood/parental separation, overly strict parents, overly critical parents, excessive family conflicts, fearful parents, anxious parents and a lacking support system. Secondly, personality traits can include a feeling of lack of power, seeing the world as threatening, general low self-esteem/confidence and the inability to cope with everyday things. Thirdly, brain chemistry can include neurotransmitter imbalances (serotonin, epinephrine, GABA, etc.) and abnormal levels of cortisol (stress type hormone). Fourthly, family medical history can show a pattern of abuse (substance) and disorders (mood, anxiety, etc.) throughout generations, which shows some genetical disposition towards the anxiety attacks. Fifthly, past traumas can have a marked affect, including childhood events (the most damaging), abuse, natural disasters, crime, and war.

Once the cause has been determined for the anxiety attacks, the doctor will attempt to make a diagnosis. However, if the fifth most common causes are not triggering the anxiety attacks then the doctor will look at these other possibilities:

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