Causes of Anxiety Attacks

By: Dr. Suzanne LaCombe, November 16, 2006.

The causes of anxiety attacks are rooted in our neurobiology. Anxiety is actually a normal human emotion that enables us to respond to danger in our environment. In short spurts and at the right time, anxiety is a good thing.

When an anxiety attack is triggered, hormones are released so we can respond quickly; in moderation, this helps us survive and to escape threatening situations.

However, if this automatic response is out of proportion to the threat, these emotions interfere with normal functioning and can dramatically affect the quality of our lives.

These are the kind of statements that reflect anxiety symptoms:

"I worry and worry about things that later seem unimportant."

"I go to sleep but my mind won't shut off."

"My chest is so tight, it sometimes feels as if I can't get a full breath."

"I've been washing my hand obsessively. I know its silly but I can't stop myself."

The Causes of Anxiety Attacks

Even when your anxiety is out of proportion, the nervous system is working as it should. Surprised? Many people are when I tell them this. The problem is that your nervous system has learned to respond this way.

It was the right brain and in particular, the reptilian brain (the right brain includes large parts of the reptilian brain and the limbic system) that learned to respond this way. The reptilian brain is largely in charge of producing anxiety symptoms.

Our nervous system wiring has evolved over thousands of years and as I have described, it's like a high performance engine. It requires fine tuning.

Every trauma you ever experienced is recorded by your reptilian brain by raising your level of activation. If you think in terms of everyone buzzing internally at a different frequency then this frequency is called your level of activation. It's a measure of how wound up you are inside.

It's also an internal gauge for how much danger is perceived to be in the environment. How is this so?

Because, for each traumatic event¹ we have had, the reptilian brain learns that the environment is dangerous. This learning will set the reptilain brain on a higher level of activation. It is currently felt that the earlier and the more traumatic your experiences, the deeper the learning and the higher your level of activation will be.

The higher your activation the more your reptilian brain will be on guard checking for signs of danger, only allowing you to let go when you are safe.

For some people that place of safety is never achieved because the level of activation is too high.

How do you reset your level of activation?

Simply stated, you reset it via a safe connection with another human being, another nervous system. If that connection includes right brain awareness of emotions and body sensations your recovery will be that much faster. For many people this is accomplished in psychotherapy within the therapeutic relationship with their therapist.

I look forward to telling you more. Look for updates in What's New on the Site.

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Related Topic

Anxiety Attack Symptoms

A New Way of Looking at Anxiety

Heaviness in the Chest and Anxiety

Notes

I like Dr. Scaer's definition of trauma. He suggest that an event is "traumatic" when it overwhelms the capactiy of the nervous system to handle. In other words, facing trauma is something we humans cannot avoid as we move through life.

References

The National Institute of Anxiety and Stress, Inc. offers a breakthrough self-help program for conquering anxiety and stress. It can help you address your symptoms, change your anxious thought patterns, and create a relaxing, fulfilling life. We guarantee that you'll find it a valuable tool in conquering your anxiety or your money back!

Click Here to learn seven vital keys for conquering anxiety and panic in our FREE E-book.

""Transformation does not begin amidst certainty and stability but when things feel most chaotic."

Richard Bloom

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