Patient Care , Nov 30, v32 i19, p64. Nolen-Hoeksema, S. Abnormal Psychology . Although the exact causes of panic disorder are unknown, research is continuing to learn more about the mechanisms responsible for the condition and to find better ways of controlling it. Some researchers believe it has a biological basis, while others believe it results from psychological influences. Many others say that both physical and emotional mechanisms are to some degree responsible.
Panic disorder tends to run in families, suggesting a biological component to the disorder.
There are also several psychological theories regarding the causes of panic disorder. One view stresses the idea that significant childhood stressors, such as the death of a parent, can predispose a person to phobic reactions. There are different degrees of panic and panic attacks. Most of us feel bouts of anxiety or disturbing fear on occasion and become tense and nervous in unfamiliar situations. Panic attacks are much different.