Shortness of Breath, my worst nightmare !

[Elysse]

I've been deling with anxiety for quite a while and I had coped with different triggers. I had tried meditation and cognitive-behavior therapy, and medication, sometimes work but the overthinking and irrational worries are still there. After a while on Celexa, I decided I wanted to stop. Therefore, I weared off little by little until I was off completely and panic free. Couple of things happened in my life and all of the sudden panic is back after 8 or 9 months. I have the same symptoms, but with the exception of one in particular, my new symptom is short of breath. Even if Im able to breath, I have the impression that I can't breath normally. When I pay too much attention to my breathing, I feel like Im forcing it and all of the sudden Im terrified in full blown panic. I don't know if other ppl feel the same. Im super sensitive to body symptoms. :( Is anyone out there feeling the same way I do? Any suggestions !Thanks !

[Dahila]

Elysse welcome to the forum. You were managing your life without meds, you will do it again. It will pass. Sometimes life is not to kind to us, and we do what is best, we survive.
Yeah the more attention you put on your breath the worst it is. Do you know anything about proper breathing? It is very important. You are panicky and you use only top of your lungs..........we tend to do it in modern world. We do not control the breathing...........
Put your hand on top of your diaphragm, and start taking air, try to fill the lower lungs so you hand move up. You will know that you do a good job then. Close your eyes and keep the oxygen in for a few seconds. Then let it out slowly like you blowing slowly, very slowly through the straw. Between each breath take 3 of your regular ones. Do it 3 times, not more for a beginning. You will find out that you already calmed down:)) give it a try, it does not cost anything . just 2 minutes or so of your time.............

[Kirk]

My internal medicine physician told me that when you are anxious, sometimes you don't breath properly,
so this gives you the feeling of being short of breath.

[Dahila]

Kirk this is exactly what I put above, without medicine physician. It is a common knowledge, that western people have no idea how to breath properly

[Boo Bass]

Hi there

Shortness of breath is normal when you get panicky, I think it's called hyperventilation. You need to do as Dahila says, learn how to do belly. breathing. Look it up on the net, there are YouTube demos. That way the panic can't get a grip..