He said that people who had a parent who experienced panic disorders were up to seven times more likely to develop a similar disorder than other members of the population.

BBC: Panic attack gene breakthrough

Professor Roger Baker, an expert in panic disorders and a clinical psychologist based at Dorset Healthcare NHS Trust, told BBC News Online that it was likely that panic attacks were caused by a mixture of genetic and environmental factors.

BBC: Panic attack gene breakthrough

Dr. Doraiswamy says he recommends meditation for people with depression, panic or anxiety disorders, ongoing stress, or for general health maintenance of brain alertness and cardiovascular health.

WSJ: Doctor's Orders: 20 Minutes of Meditation Twice a Day

Indeed, in the past, Pfizer (nyse: PFE - news - people ), the world's biggest drug company, owed much of the sales volume of its epilepsy medicine Neurontin to off-label use for pain and for disorders ranging from panic to bipolar disorder.

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Kids who had been victims only (who never bullied others) had greater risk for depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, generalized anxiety, panic disorder and agoraphobia as adults.

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The disorders run the gamut from panic attacks and specific phobias to obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, a random kind of worry described as free-floating and relentless.

WSJ: Anxiety Can Bring Out the Best