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View Full Version : Feels like I can't breath properly



Ambrosa
12-16-2015, 08:31 PM
The last couple of days it feels like my heart has been racing and that I'm shaking inside. (when I hold my hands out I'm not shaking)
Then last night I felt like I couldn't breath properly even though I was I was breathing from my chest not my stomach and it just felt like I had to keep taking deep breaths almost like asthma like it was heavy. I kept thinking to my self that I'm not anxious and would work on belling breathing. That would stop it for a second but then start up. this went on for a couple of hours. I ended up going to the ER last night and they said they think it was my anxiety. But I've never had this feeling before.
Has anyone else had this?????

Raaawr
12-16-2015, 08:41 PM
Sounds like you let your anxiety build up and get the better of you.

The fact is you went to the ER. You were seen by a professional who is far more experienced than we can ever hope to be and they deemed you fine. That's the fact

When it comes to breathing it's a tough one. The more you think about breathing and how you not doing it properly the more you mess it up and cause yourself worry. A common thing for me in these situations is that I feel like I'm not getting enough air and my I think I'm not breathing enough and it's rapid but really its just me not exhaling enough.

A tip I learned and find amazingly effective is to purse my lip, as if drinking from a straw and just exhale. I don't stop exhaling until it's all gone. Then my body immediately kicks in and inhales. I'll repeat this until I've convinced myself I'm breathing fine. In the early days this didn't work as well as it does now, so I recommend counting each exhale. By the time you reach 278 exhales you'll be convinced you are breathing fine. Each time in the future will be less. Now at most it takes me 3. Back when I first did it I counted for 45 minutes.

jessed03
12-17-2015, 11:41 AM
Sorry you experienced that.

Breathing problems are one of the biggest anxiety symptoms. They can be pretty scary too, especially when they strike hard.

When my anxiety was at its worst, I'd go for weeks unable to get a proper breath. Sometimes it'd feel like I was choking, other times it'd feel as if I was just out of breath.

Did your doctor say anything about treating your anxiety problem? When symptoms like this start to show up, it's usually a sign that you need to get proactive.

Ambrosa
12-17-2015, 07:45 PM
I've suffered from anxiety and panic attacks for nearly 20 years and I can't remember anything like this before. It was almost like I forgot how to breath. Every time lately that I do a get a anxiety attack there seems to be something new with it, which I hate cause it makes me worse.
Everyone tells me to be more proactive. It's just hard sometimes. I am making myself do things though. I see a psychologist once a week and we work on ACT.
Thanks everyone.