What is a panic attack?

Panic attacks are caused mostly by the release of the hormone adrenalin by the adrenal glands.

This hormone helps to prepare the body for the “fight or flight” response, but in the case of panic attacks and panic disorder, this response happens even when there is no danger present and as the adrenalin in the blood is not ‘used up’ appropriately by running or fighting, it starts to cause a build up of intense panic attack symptoms.

As these panic attack symptoms grow, the body goes through a number of physiological changes in the circulatory, digestive and respiratory systems in the body which also produce unusual and sometimes frightening symptoms.

These panic attack symptoms cause the sufferer to become more scared, which causes more adrenalin to be released and the cycle starts over again.


It is not difficult to see how the initial catalyst for high anxiety which causes panic attacks, can become irrelevant once the cycle of fear, panic, panic attack symptoms, fear… and so on is formed. At this point, a ‘one off’ panic attack becomes panic disorder and the behaviours which fuel it cause an endless cycle of panic attack symptoms and high anxiety.

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