An anxiety attack, otherwise known as panic attack, may occur as a separate problem or in conjunction with another issue, such as social anxiety or a phobia. During a panic attack, an individual may experience rapid heartbeat, problems breathing, sweating, chest pain and dizziness. Panic attacks may occur out of the blue, be directly tied to a stressful event or strike due to a chemical change in the body.
Biological Causes
Individuals with panic disorder appear to have a particular sensitivity to caffeine. In a study conducted by Antonio Nardi and others from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, published in the journal "Psychiatry Research," 60 percent of the participants with panic disorder had a panic attack after consuming caffeine, compared with none of the participants who did not have panic disorder. Studies such as the one conducted by Nardi show that people with panic disorder tend to have nervous systems that react strongly to caffeine. Overall, the National Association of Mental Illness indicates that individuals with panic disorder may have problems with a hyperactive nervous system. Chemical changes in the body, such as created by consuming caffeine, may cause a panic attack.
Psychological Causes
Caffeine causes physiological changes in the human body, including an increased heartbeat. People with panic disorder may become very sensitive to changes that occur in their body. Additionally, they tend to worry about future panic attacks occurring. The American Psychological Association indicates that when caffeine causes an increased heartbeat, the individual may think this is a symptom of anxiety. This misinterpretation of an anxiety symptom may fuel feelings of anxiety and result in the development of a panic attack.
Mind and Body
Caffeine's role in causing panic attacks for people with different forms of anxiety provides an example of the mind-and-body connection. Caffeine may directly trigger a panic attack through chemical changes in the body. At the same time, the individual's fear of having a panic attack puts him on edge. When the physiological changes associated with caffeine combine with the individual's fear of fear, it creates a higher likelihood of causing a panic attack. Therefore, the panic attack may be caused by psychological reasons, biological reasons or a combination of the two.
Considerations
The American Psychological Association indicates that many people with panic disorder choose to stop consuming caffeine due to worry that it may cause a panic attack. Discontinuing use of products containing caffeine may be helpful in reducing the occurrence of panic attacks from this particular cause. This, however, is not enough to manage panic disorder. Many very effective treatments exist for panic disorder. A mental health professional should be consulted regarding the options available.
References
- American Psychological Association: Answers to Your Questions About Panic Disorder
- National Alliance on Mental Illness; Panic Disorder; May 2003
- "Psychiatry Research"; Panic Disorder and Social Anxiety Disorder Subtypes in a Caffeine Challenge Test; Antonio Nardi, et al.; 2009
