I’ve spent a good amount of time trying to understand what causes panic attacks, for me specifically of course, but also for humans in general. As you might imagine, it’s complicated, but one big component are subconscious thought processes… your basic assumptions about life.

Here is one of mine that I imagine is a popular one. “No one sees me, no one understands me, no one will help me.”

For a human, that is terrifying, literally deadly. We are not creatures that can survive alone without the support of some sort of family or community. When you have no one that tunes into you, no one that understands the struggles that you face which are unique to you, and thus no one that is able to help, that is a truly deadly situation.

If you did not grow up with those who tuned into you, you are almost certainly riddled with anxiety. And that makes perfect sense. When you have no backup you have to think 10 times as hard about everything you do to avoid ever needing support from those who can not/will not give it.

Anxiety becomes a way of life for people that were not tuned into. Anxiety is a survival strategy for those who do not have genuine support.

And so, the answer, of course, to this piece of the puzzle, is to go build that genuine support. To go find a community that does tune into you.