Breathe!!

[gypsylee]

Tonight I was an idiot and drank some beers because I had a shitty day. I knew I'd pay for it and sure enough my heart was racing like crazy a few hours later. So I used this app I've got on my phone which times your breathing with "relaxing" music. I did 20 minutes of deep breathing and I nearly fell asleep!

I go on about this a bit to people but seriously, if there was one thing I'd tell everyone with anxiety it is to learn and practice breathing properly - deep, diaphragmatic breathing. It basically tells the nervous system it doesn't need to be on high alert, slows your heart rate down and lots of other good things. It can be uncomfortable at first and isn't a quick fix but it really helps if you practice a bit and do it regularly.

Deep breathing is actually recommended for everybody, regardless of whether they get anxiety, because of the health benefits. I try to do some physical exercise and some breathing exercise every day. Obviously I don't always succeed ;)

Anyway here's a link to the app I use. I got this about 18 months ago and it works well for me. But you could use anything you like, or nothing at all. Just learn how to breathe!

http://www.saagara.com/apps/breathing/relax

[Xerosnake90]

Everyone needs to begin meditation and deep breathing for their anxiety. Excellent post. I use deep breathing at just about any sign of stress and usually calms me down pretty good.

[Deist]

Another trick is to take a deep breath in, hold it and push for 3-5 seconds like you are taking a huge dump (I know, I know...). It will lower your blood pressure and help bring things back to normal.

[gypsylee]

Thanks Xerosnake :)

Deist, I think that works because the exhale is associated with the part of the nervous system that calms us down (so it's the important part of the breath). Thanks for the description haha.

[Loyd]

thank very much

[gypsylee]

thank very much

Hey no worries :)

[Goomba]

Gypsy,

I have read a lot of your posts and commend the insight you have to offer.

Hopefully, this minor nitpick won't rub the wrong way when I ask:

I wonder how much the..

I knew I'd pay for it and sure enough my...

...thought process was responsible for the entirety of the episode?

If you know its going to happen, surely it will.

[gypsylee]

Gypsy,

I have read a lot of your posts and commend the insight you have to offer.

Hopefully, this minor nitpick won't rub the wrong way when I ask:

I wonder how much the..

I knew I'd pay for it and sure enough my...

...thought process was responsible for the entirety of the episode?

If you know its going to happen, surely it will.

Haha no worries :)

Um, yeah the problem with me is that I know the consequences of my actions but do them anyway. I mean drinking alcohol >> anxiety. That's not so much a belief as a fact because it's a biological thing. I should also add that I've had serious problems with drinking - mental and physical - so it's a really dumb thing for me to do.

But I know what you're saying. I do have those negative thought processes as well but I'm much better with that than I was. My mother is the absolute queen of self-fulfilling prophecies and is now in her 70s and will never change. I am not going to be like that :)

[Goomba]

I seeeeeee.

It's interesting that there is a such a direct biological link between alcohol and anxiety.

I still question how much of that is due to your past problems, lol but you, obviously, know way better than I do.

Keep up the good fight!

[PanicCured]

Tonight I was an idiot and drank some beers because I had a shitty day. I knew I'd pay for it and sure enough my heart was racing like crazy a few hours later. So I used this app I've got on my phone which times your breathing with "relaxing" music. I did 20 minutes of deep breathing and I nearly fell asleep!

I go on about this a bit to people but seriously, if there was one thing I'd tell everyone with anxiety it is to learn and practice breathing properly - deep, diaphragmatic breathing. It basically tells the nervous system it doesn't need to be on high alert, slows your heart rate down and lots of other good things. It can be uncomfortable at first and isn't a quick fix but it really helps if you practice a bit and do it regularly.

Deep breathing is actually recommended for everybody, regardless of whether they get anxiety, because of the health benefits. I try to do some physical exercise and some breathing exercise every day. Obviously I don't always succeed ;)

Anyway here's a link to the app I use. I got this about 18 months ago and it works well for me. But you could use anything you like, or nothing at all. Just learn how to breathe!

http://www.saagara.com/apps/breathing/relax

Except breathing physiology does not actually call for deep or extensive breathing. It is a fallacy to think the more you breathe the more oxygen you get and is a big problem with anxiety sufferers. Yes breathe deeper as in breathe into the deeper part of your lungs, but overbreathing is far more of a problem. When I started practicing breathing less, my anxiety was cut 50% within days. Patrick McKeown, Buteyko Breathing Practitioner explains it very thoroughly here:
http://www.patrickmckeown.net/panic-attacks.php

[gypsylee]

Except breathing physiology does not actually call for deep or extensive breathing. It is a fallacy to think the more you breathe the more oxygen you get and is a big problem with anxiety sufferers. Yes breathe deeper as in breathe into the deeper part of your lungs, but overbreathing is far more of a problem. When I started practicing breathing less, my anxiety was cut 50% within days. Patrick McKeown, Buteyko Breathing Practitioner explains it very thoroughly here:
http://www.patrickmckeown.net/panic-attacks.php

But if you breathe with your diaphragm you are automatically breathing deeper no? I'll have a look at that :)

Edit: So what kind of breathing does this guy recommend? Is there a video somewhere?

[gypsylee]

I seeeeeee.

It's interesting that there is a such a direct biological link between alcohol and anxiety.

I still question how much of that is due to your past problems, lol but you, obviously, know way better than I do.

Keep up the good fight!

I've always had bad (worse) anxiety after drinking. I think alcohol messes with the nervous system. But as I've gotten older (I'm 41) and rarely drink anymore, I notice the anxiety hits me sooner. Or maybe I just used to drink until I passed out.. So I didn't feel the anxiety until I woke up :)

Anyway thanks and I am :)

[Zoot]

Sorry, I see that you already answered that.

[PanicCured]

But if you breathe with your diaphragm you are automatically breathing deeper no? I'll have a look at that :)

Edit: So what kind of breathing does this guy recommend? Is there a video somewhere?

Just read the page. I twill take you 5 minutes. Yes he has videos on Buteyko breathing exercises. Breathing properly is a delicate balance and if you over breathe you let out too much CO2 which causes a cascade of problems.