I CANT BREATHE!!

[JessTheMess]

Hi my name is Jess. I'm 18. Last year I had this 'episode' I guess you would call it....where I felt like I couldn't breathe..my chest was really tight, and I felt like I wasn't getting enough air. It freaked me out! I couldn't sleep from it...I went to the doctor and after everything was said and done, he prescribed me Lexapro...I took it for a few months, and I can't say for sure that it REALLY helped. I did some research on it, and it sounded like the withdrawal symtoms of it were far worse than what I was experincing, so I stopped taking it....Gradually I started feeling better....But now its been almost a year and a half later, and I'm starting to feel the tightness again and I have chest pains and feel tired...It's not something that lasts 10 minutes but more like the whole day. I freak out and think I have some kind of pysical problem, and I think I worry myself even sicker. So I guess you could say I'm a bit of a worry wort..aghh >_< I don't know what to do. Any suggestions? :o

[randyttp]

Sounds pretty typical to me. I have my problems with breathing also.. Almost like im out of oxygen and im gasping for air. I definently think its caused by anxiety. I know a few others that have had panic attacks and thought they couldnt breath... but for not being able to breath they sure have been living for along time without air :P

And obviously its not a serious problem. If it was it wouldnt just come and go. If you really couldnt breath the situation would be alot diffrent.

Its all in the head, the powerful anxiety. The chest and lungs seem to go through lots of stress when you have anxiety. Thats why most anxiety victims state they think they are having a heart attack or they cant breath.



A suggestion might be to make sure you get enough sleep at night. My breathing seems most hindered when im tired or my body is exhuasted.

Another thing that helps me is when I start feeling like I cant breath... just forget it... trying to fight it makes it worse. Just tell yourself you know you can breathe perfectly fine, but your just feeling a weird sensation. It will pass so nothing to worry, just let it go.

Hope you feel better! Definently not alone on this one.

[bri]

If you have a pet you can cuddle with, cuddle with your pet! I put my face right in my dog's face so I can breath together with him. Paying attention to his breathing helps me calm down my own breathing, because I'm focusing on something else besides my own breathing. I hope this helps! :goodjob:

[V for Victor]

I used to think I was having trouble breathing, back when my anxiety was worse. It was especially troublesome at night, because I would lay down, and I felt like I actually had to manually breath for myself, as if it weren't an involuntariy function! As I would start to drift to sleep, it's like I would stop breathing, and I'd have to make myself start again!

But the one thing that helped me get through the worst of my anxiety was waking up the next morning, alive and well. Anxiety was never, and has never been a problem for me in the morningm because I feel so happy to be alive for another day. :)

[jitters]

What you had was what is genrally known as a anxiety attack or some people now prefer to call it an anxiety episode, either way the principle is the same. Some people have one which lasts ten minuates some peoples symptoms can last weeks.

Generally you get stressed or worried, your body releases adrenaline and cortazone and a load of other chemicals, this makes your body get ready to fight or run away, as in an emergancy.

The problem is you dont use this adrenaline up and instead of fighting or running away you worry... What is happening to me...why cant I breathe...Why is my heart beating like that... Am I having a heart attack... and as you worry the symptoms get worse.

Not everyone has episodes and everyones symptoms are different, I tend to get nauseous and think I have the flu. But they can end up ruling your life if you let them. Medication can help, exercise will burn off the Nasty chemicals and realese more good ones and perhaps therapy is the long term answer.

Duncan