Obsessed with My Breathing Need to take deep Breaths all day and Hyperventilate

[freakingoutnow]

I have something awful. I am freaking out! This has been going on since January. Seems to get worse each day. All day long I have the urge to take deep breaths, yawn until I hyperventilate and have anxiety attacks. I am in constant fear that something bad will happen with my breathing. I really need to stop thinking about my breathing all day long. I feel better when taking a walk, sleeping, or doing dishes. How can I get rid of this problem?

[EMZ]

This is quite common in anxiety. Do you feel you need to breathe manually? You just need to not think about it and it will disappear.

[freakingoutnow]

Yes, I do feel like I have to breath manually. I am trying my best to try and distract myself. Since posting on this forum, I feel a little bit better.

[laurandisorder]

I don't known if this will help you, or make your focus on your breathing more intense, but this works for me when I start to hyperventilate.

I downloaded a free app called 'relax lite', which helps me get my breathing back under control through timed breathing.

It helps me go from hyperventilating and being on the brink of an attack to ceasing the hyperventilation completely and stopping the other symptoms from manifesting. A 15 minute cycle works wonders for me - it might be worth a try for you too?

[freakingoutnow]

I will have to download that app and try it. So far I have been trying to stay out of my head and focus on other things. I think distraction is the key to getting rid of this mess.

[EMZ]

Distraction is the key for all anxiety symptoms. So difficult when you're tired though.

[tstont]

Distraction works best- tap out a song or do a puzzle. Works for me.

[freakingoutnow]

I did good with the distraction for most of the day, but it came back as soon as I did something stressful.

[jon mike]

Hey. Personally I don't think distraction is the answer. I went through this for years thinking it would never leave me amongst other things.
I find that there is 2 different versions of this problem. Theres the people who breathe rapidly when they're anxious and breathing exercises work great for them and then there's your problem (I'm assuming) where its the actual focus on the breathing that makes you fear and dread the fact that you have noticed your breathing? Is this sound right? This was my problem.
If its yours then I could help you if you like? I had a great lady therapist who was fantastic and put everything into place for me I know what it is to feel this If you want some advice pm me and ill go on my computer and not on my phone ha ha. Jon

[freakingoutnow]

Jon Mike, I think I have a combination of the two. I also have the excessive yawning and sighing. I am really bad right now because I got stressed out again. I tried to PM you but it says I need to make more posts before I can send a PM.