What causes panic and agoraphobia?
A number of factors work together to cause panic attacks and panic disorder and the particular combination will vary from person to person, although these can be understood as a chain of factors of broadly three types that progressively build up to produce panic: 1) Vulnerability Some people are vulnerable to developing panic attacks and agoraphobia as a result of their constitution and life experiences. Risk factors in early life can include genetic inheritance, the nature of family relationships and childhood trauma. Temperamental factors, such as an ingrained tendency to worry, together with continuing stress over a period of time, can also make people predisposed to panic attacks. 2) Triggers Immediate stresses or triggers can bring on a sudden panic attack. A common ‘trigger’ is ‘overbreathing’ or hyperventilation – many panic attack sufferers experience shallow breathing during an attack, but some people may actually be hyperventilating chronically (two common signs are excessive
