What Could be Causing Panic Attacks?

What Causes Panic Attacks?

To successfully treat and prevent recurrence of panic attacks we need to understand and — if possible — remove the underlying causes and risk factors. We need to ask: "What else is going on inside the body that might allow panic attacks to develop?"

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Accurate diagnosis of the factors behind panic attacks consists of three steps:

Step 1: List the Possible Causative Factors

Identify all disease conditions, lifestyle choices and environmental risk factors that can lead to panic attacks. Here are eight of many possibilities (more below):

Mitral Valve Prolapse
High Sugar Diet
Low Progesterone
Electrical Hypersensitivity
Mercury Toxicity
Chronic Thyroiditis
Aspartame/Neotame Side-Effects
EFA 3 Need

Step 2: Build a Symptom Checklist

Identify all possible symptoms and risk factors of each possible cause, and check the ones that apply:

recent onset nausea

history of tender muscles

heart racing/palpitations

extreme moodiness

not eating cold water fish

occasional odd skin sensations

numb/burning/tingling extremities

having hot flashes

non-vaginal candidiasis

refined sugar consumption

frequent swollen cervical nodes

mitral valve prolapse

... and more than 90 others

Step 3: Rule Out or Confirm each Possible Cause

A differential diagnosis of your symptoms and risk factors finds the likely cause of panic attacks:

Cause	Probability	Status
Electrical Hypersensitivity	99%	Confirm
High Sugar Diet	20%	Unlikely
Mercury Toxicity	17%	Unlikely
Low Progesterone	0%	Ruled out
EFA 3 Need	0%	Ruled out
Mitral Valve Prolapse	0%	Ruled out
Chronic Thyroiditis	0%	Ruled out
Aspartame/Neotame Side-Effects	0%	Ruled out

* This is a simple example to illustrate the process

Arriving at a Correct Diagnosis

The Analyst™ is our online diagnosis tool that learns all about you through a straightforward process of multi-level questioning, providing diagnosis at the end.

In the Emotional Symptoms section of the questionnaire, The Analyst™ will ask the following question about panic attacks:

Have you had a problem with panic attacks?

Possible responses:

→ Never had one / don't know
→ Probably had one/minor episode(s) now resolved
→ Major episode(s) now resolved
→ Current minor problem
→ Current major problem

Based on your response to this question, which may indicate either history of panic attacks or panic attacks, The Analyst™ will consider possibilities such as:

Aspartame/Neotame Side-Effects

Chronic Thyroiditis

Hashimoto's autoimmune thyroiditis has been associated with a range of anxiety symptoms including panic attack.

Cigarette Smoke Damage

Female patients with panic disorder had a significantly higher smoking prevalence at the onset of their illness than did control subjects 10 years previously (54% vs. 35%). Current smoking prevalence was also higher in those patients with panic attack versus controls (40% vs. 25%). Male smoking rates did not differ between the groups. [Psychiatric Research, 1992;43: pp.253-62]

EFA (Essential Fatty Acid) Type 3 Requirement

In one study, 3 out of 4 patients with panic attacks or a history of agoraphobia for 10 or more years improved within 3 months after taking flaxseed oil.

Excess Sugar Consumption

Eating a lot of foods high in refined sugar increases blood lactate levels and may induce panic in susceptible persons.

Mercury Toxicity (Amalgam Illness)

Progesterone Low or Estrogen Dominance

It has been reported that women with low progesterone levels experience less intense or less frequent panic attacks after progesterone supplementation. In some cases, sublingual progesterone in olive oil has produced immediate benefit.

Pyroluria

Low Adrenal Function / Adrenal Insufficiency

When adrenal function is low, caffeine consumption may contribute to panic attacks. Caffeine interferes with adenosine, a brain chemical that normally has a calming effect, and raises the level of lactate, a biochemical known to produce panic attacks.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Sometimes persons with PTSD will have panic attacks accompanied by shortness of breath and chest pain.

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