Are panic attacks hereditary? All in all, I don’t really know if my mother had a panic disorder. Growing up, I really didn’t see her having panic attacks.
But I’m sure I inherited the depression and schizophrenia from her.
Later in her life, she was just angry all the time, so during that time I couldn’t tell. The anger consumed her and she was diagnosed with dementia which can cause a personality change.
Yes, panic attacks can be hereditary. As a reult, panic disorder, which can lead to panic attacks, often runs in families, and some studies estimate its heritability at 40%.
However, many people develop panic disorder without a family history of it.
Causes of Panic Disorder
Altogether, Risk factors can be temperamental (i.e. neuroticism and anxiety sensitivity), environmental (i.e. childhood abuse and smoking), or genetic and physiological.
Although, knowing the exact causes of panic disorder is not available, but like many other anxiety disorders, panic disorder runs in families.
This means that inheritance may play a strong role in determining who becomes affected by it.
In fact, panic disorder is often found in combination with other hereditary disorders such as bipolar disorder and alcoholism.
However, many people without a family history of panic disorder develop it.
Therefore, malfunctioning in brain areas such as the amygdala and adrenaline glands may cause an overproduction of certain chemicals which produce the physical symptoms.
Other Biological Factors of Panic Disorder
Are panic attacks hereditary? Other biological factors, stressful life events, and exaggerated thinking about common bodily reactions are also believed to play a role in the onset of panic disorder.
Often the first attacks are triggered by physical illnesses, major stressors, or certain medications.
Also, people who take on too many responsibilities may develop a tendency to suffer panic attacks.
Additionally, individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) also show a much higher rate of panic disorder than other people.
What are the symptoms of panic disorder?
Panic attacks can happen in other types of anxiety disorders, too.
Generally, if you have 4 or more panic attacks and if you always worry about having another, you have panic disorder. Symptoms of a panic attack may include:
- Firstly, pounding heart
- Sweating
- Trembling or shaking
- Fourthly, shortness of breath
- Sense of choking
- Nausea or belly pain
- Additionally, dizziness or lightheadedness
- Feeling unreal or disconnected from oneself
- Fear of losing control
- In addition, fear of “going out of control” or dying
- Numbness
- Chills or hot flashes
- Lastly, Chest pain and other symptoms that mimic a heart attack
All things considered, panic disorder can be upsetting and disabling. An attack can last from a few minutes to an hour or sometimes longer.
The symptoms of a panic attack may look like other mental health conditions. Always see your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.
Limited Symptom Panic Attacks
Are panic attacks hereditary? Consequently, many people with panic disorder have a mixture of panic attacks and limited symptom attacks.
A limited symptom attack (LSA) is a lower-scale, less comprehensive onset of panic symptoms, when a person feels 3 or less of the panic symptoms listed above.
For example, accompaning a sudden episode of trembling or nausea is a fear of dying would be considered an LSA.
Not everyone who experiences an LSA has a mental illness. People often experience limited symptom attacks while recovering from or being treated for panic disorder.
Like a panic attack, an LSA usually peaks in 10 minutes; however, an attack might last only 1 to 5 minutes, or could be part of a panic episode of varying intensity that lasts several hours.
Onset & Course Of Panic Disorder
Panic disorder is a serious mental health problem, but it can be successfully treated. An estimated 2-3% of Americans have panic disorder at some point in their lives.
It is observable before 14 years of age, but the prevalence is low in this age category. The rates gradually increase throughout puberty and peak during adulthood.
Subjecting someone to a traumatic experience, this timeframe is particularly common. Moreover, women are twice as likely as men to develop panic disorder.
Meanwhile, the frequency and severity of panic attacks vary widely between individuals. Depending on how and when pursuing treatment, panic disorder can continue for months or years
If left untreated, symptoms may become so severe that a person has significant problems with their friends, family, or job.
Hence, some people may experience several months or years of frequent symptoms, then many symptom-free years.
Comparatively, in others, symptoms persist at the same level indefinitely.
Are panic attacks hereditary? There is some evidence that many people, particularly those whose symptoms begin at an early age.
Although, some may naturally experience a partial or even complete reduction in symptoms after middle age.
Treatment For Panic Disorder
Treatment may include:
Anti-anxiety medications
- Benzodiazepines: such as Xanax (alprazolam), Valium (diazepam), Ativan (lorazepam)
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): such as Prozac (fluoxetine), Zoloft (sertraline), Lexapro (escitalopram)
- Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs): such as Effexor (venlafaxine), Cymbalta (duloxetine)
- Buspirone (BuSpar)
- Tricyclic antidepressants: such as Elavil (amitriptyline), Tofranil (imipramine)
- Beta blockers: such as propranolol
Counseling
There are several counseling strategies and therapies that can help with anxiety, including:
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Generally, CBT focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to anxiety.
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR): Henceforth, this therapy teaches mindfulness meditation and other mindfulness practices to help individuals better cope with stress and anxiety.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Even more, ACT helps individuals accept their thoughts and feelings and commit to making positive changes in their behavior.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Furthermore, DBT combines cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness and acceptance strategies to help individuals regulate emotions and improve interpersonal relationships.
- Exposure Therapy: Meanwhile, this therapy involves gradually exposing individuals to the situations or objects that trigger their anxiety, helping them to become less sensitive to their fears.
- Interpersonal Therapy (IPT): Subsequently, IPT focuses on improving communication and relationship skills to reduce anxiety related to interpersonal conflicts.
Using these few examples of counseling strategies help with anxiety.
But, it’s important to work with a trained therapist to determine the most appropriate approach for an individual’s specific needs.
Treatment for panic disorders is usually quite effective. Treatment will help you learn to recognize that the symptoms are not life-threatening.
You will also learn coping skills and ways to relax to decrease the intensity and length of the panic attack.
What are the complications of panic disorder?
Are panic attacks hereditary? Obviously, as the panic gets worse and an attacks last longer, you may find it very tough to cope with everyday life, keep a job, or function in social settings.
You may fear going into places where it may be hard to escape or you feel trapped.
Some people can’t leave their home for fear that help is not available or that they will be forced into a situation that will trigger an attack.
Consequently, people with this condition may also abuse alcohol or drugs to relieve stress.
Key points about panic disorder
Overall, panic disorder is an overreaction of fear and anxiety to daily life stressors.
The reaction causes a hyperphysical response, followed by intense worry that another attack will happen soon.
This can upset the ability to function normally. In brief, it is a common disorder and can often lead to depression.
Panic disorders can be disabling because you become so afraid of when the next panic attack may happen that you can’t cope with regular tasks.
Sum It All Up
Are panic attacks hereditary? They can be, but sometimes not. In my case it might have been a factor of both.
I inherited other mental illnesses from my mother, but with all that’s happened throughout my life, I think it partially developed because of tradegies in my life. I just couldn’t handle certain situations.
Being rejected by my mother late in her life and me in my teens, didn’t help. Therefore, I did everything to try to please her, but to no avail.
Then I went the opposite way and became more angrier than her. We had some pretty good fights.
I know, I’m getting off the subject. Just had to get that out. So, If I did inherite panic disorder from my mother, I believe I’ve learned over the years how to handle it well.
Notwithstanding, lots of therapy and meds have helped me somewhat. Next step is to try microdosing to help with the anxiety and panic attacks.
I’ll let you know how it turns out. Until next time..
Article About Panic Attacks Being Hereditary
-Is Anxiety Genetic? What Research Says & How to Cope
-Are Anxiety Disorders Genetic?
https://www.goodrx.com/health-topic/anxiety-disorders/is-anxiety-genetic-or-hereditary
-Depression and Anxiety: Are They Hereditary?
https://www.webmd.com/depression/are-depression-anxiety-hereditary
Have a good One,
Cindee Murphy, One Voice In The Vastness Of Emotions
“Panic attacks are a lot like being drunk in some ways, you lose self-control. You cry for seemingly no reason. You deal with the hangover long into the next day.”-SARA BARNARD, A QUIET KIND OF THUNDER
“People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.”― Thich Nhat Hanh
“Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.” ― Dale Carnegie
“When I hear somebody sigh, ‘Life is hard,’ I am always tempted to ask, ‘Compared to what?’” ― Sydney J. Harris
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