There are many causes of anxiety attacks, ranging from medical issues to external mental or emotional stimuli. These causes are many and varied and if you are suffering from anxiety attacks, it is imperative that you find out what is causing them.

1 - Hereditary Causes

First off there may be your heredity blame. Anxiety attacks have been found to run in families, which leads many professionals to conclude that the trait can be found in the human genome. On the other hand, studies on genetically identical twins have shown that sometimes one twin will experience anxiety attacks, while the other will not. Another way in which anxiety attacks can be inherited is through an overly cautious worldview handed down by a patient's parents and the cumulative stress it causes.

2 - Biological Causes

There are also many biological causes to anxiety attacks, such as inner ear disturbances (labyrinthitis), hyperthyroidism, hyperventilation syndrome, hypoglycemia, prolapsed mitral valve (a heart disease), pheochromocytoma (an adrenal gland tumor), and Wilson's disease (a genetic disorder). Even a vitamin B deficiency caused by parasitic tapeworm infection or from a poor diet can also cause anxiety attacks.

3 - Mental / Emotional Causes

Mental or emotional issues can also trigger anxiety attacks. These include generalized anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), phobias, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),significant personal loss (such as loss of a romantic partner), significant life changes, 'what-if' thinking, lack of assertiveness, withheld feelings, mistaken beliefs, and avoidance of or association with anxiety-provoking situations or environs.

4 - Pharmalogical / Medicinal Causes

Pharmacological or medicinal causes include amphetamines, alcohol, marijuana, psilocybin (a hallucinogen found in some mushrooms), side effects from drugs such as Ritalin or other antidepressants (especially at the beginning or end of use), and stimulants such as caffeine or nicotine. Some anxiety attack sufferers also develop an irrational fear of certain medications, which may result in anxiety attacks if they are taken, which is a purely psychosomatic effect similar to what placebos have been shown to produce.

As anyone can see, there are many causes of anxiety attacks, most of which are completely out of your control if you are having them. The good news is that you can do something about it. The first thing you need to understand is that it is not your fault. Your anxiety attacks are nothing that you asked for and not something that you necessarily caused. If it is found that your anxiety attacks are caused by something external that is easily remedied, your problem may be solved quite easily. If it is caused by a lifestyle choice, for example marijuana or alcohol consumption, there are alternatives available. If it is something that is more ephemeral, then your mental health professional can counsel you and/or prescribe medication that will help you deal with your anxiety attacks.

Conclusion

Don't immediately blame yourself or believe that there is simply something wrong with you if you are having anxiety attacks. If you look hard enough, you will probably be able to discover what the cause is. In many cases, the cause of anxiety attacks can be quickly discerned and dealt with via counseling, medication or self help.