hello

[barker]

Hi,

I'm a young lad and I've been suffering from great discomfort breathing for about 2 years now.
The discomfort lasts the entire duration of each day, there is never a moment when my breathing feels at ease.

The doctors have ruled out any physical problems, so I guess that means it must be anxiety.

It's suddenly gotten a lot worse lately and it's getting really hard to cope.

It's 7am and I still haven't slept which is completely due to the fact my breathing feels labored, I don't know what to do.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated,

Thanks

[sazco]

Are you a smoker? Have you ever used any inhalants? Do you smoke any drugs? Are you nervous?

[barker]

I quit smoking quite recently, I smoked for about 5 years. Quit smoking drugs about a year ago. I'm not nervous in general but I am very anxious about my breathing, I often worry that I'll just stop breathing.

My therapist seems to think I have trouble breathing due to having a gluten and dairy intolerance (which she diagnosed me with).

[starbryte76]

I am ridden with anxiety especially at bedtime. I also feel that "what if I stop breathing?" and it scares me bad. Anxiety isnt always an all consuming thing BTW it can be specific to one or two things. In this case your breathing. Tell me what happens when these thoughts enter your head? WHat do you physically feel?

[barker]

The physical symptoms include a tight chest and throat, and a certain degree of panic when I breath, mostly when I exhale.

[GymRatNoMore]

My panic attacks only are cued during an intense mode of helplessness or stress. Also they occur when I'm exercising because I cannot control my breathing anymore. What I find extremely interesting is how people downplay anxiety/panic attacks so much. This is the most intensive physical pain I've endured, it's one of those things the medical field needs to recognize as a more significant problem

[Elaine43]

I'm sure you've probably heard this before, but breathing from your stomach (thoracic diaphragm - a thin sheet of muscle under the lungs) can be helpful, I got a few singing lessons years ago and my teacher taught me how to breath deeper and with more control if you breath by inflating your diaphragm rather than lifting your rib cage. I have read that this can help with anxiety and stress, I often try and do this before I go to sleep while I lie in bed. I do hope you feel better, you certainly are not the only one out there suffering from this.