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Thread: Constant Awareness of Breathing

  1. #1
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    Constant Awareness of Breathing

    Hi Everyone,

    I did touch on this on my topic I posted yesterday about CBT, but the symptom I can't stand the most about my anxiety is my constant awareness of my breathing. This is worse when I don't have much to do or when I am trying to get to sleep. I know that i shallow breathe which I am trying to correct, but when you are constantly aware of your breathing the last thing you want to do is think about it even more to try and deep breathe!!! I used to be aware of it occasionally but now it is like an obsessive thought. Also when this website was down due to the fire, i went on another website and found this exact same problem and found many people that suffered from it, but they were all doom and gloom and said they would never recove from it and had been suffering for 10 years or more!! I can't bear the thought that I might be aware of my breathing for the next 10 years!! So I just wondered if anybody had experienced this and if so any positive tips?! I'm wondering if exercise would help although I hate doing that at the moment because again it makes me more aware of my breathing!!
    Help!

    Thanks
    Clare

  2. #2
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    Hi Clare

    I do'nt know whether this will help but if you maybe listen to relaxing music & read before bed time, then you hopefully will be so relaxed that we wo'nt have the constant thought of your breathing on your mind, you will be to tired to even think of it.

    Take Care

    Alex

    Many People Will Walk
    In & Out Of Your Life
    But Only True Friends
    Will Leave Footprints
    In Your Heart

  3. #3
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    Hi Alex,
    Yes I've tried all sorts! I do HAVE to read every night as this is the only way I can eventually get to sleep, there is no way I could just get to sleep without having my mind occupied on something! The only problem is this part of my brain that concentrates on my breathing seems to be so much stronger than any other and always manages to override other thinking!! so when I try to concentrate on something, I may be successful for a while then my brain will think 'Oh you are not concentrating on your breathing, better go back to doing that'!! Nightmare!!!
    One of my main problems is I hate my job, it is painfully boring and tedious and I rarely actually have anything to do, so gives my mind the perfect oppurtunity to focus on my breathing. I am starting my dream job in a couple of weeks and am just praying this will be enough to help focus my mind on things other than my breathing!!

    Thanks
    CLare

  4. #4
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    Hi Clare

    I do understand what you saying hun & hell it can be hard trying to settle at night at the best of time.
    Easier said than done i know but try & stay positive & think of your dream job coming up soon. I bet when you start it you relax so much better.
    I reckon you will sleep alot more soundly by the time your head hits the pillow. Hang on in there hun.

    Take Care

    Alex

    Many People Will Walk
    In & Out Of Your Life
    But Only True Friends
    Will Leave Footprints
    In Your Heart

  5. #5
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    A good book which is a nice simple read is Hyperventilation Syndrome by Dinah Bradly which I got off amazon.

    It helped me a lot with correct breathing patterns and made me realise how my breathing was causing the other symptoms.

    Love Piglet xx

    "Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it?" said Piglet.
    "Supposing it didn't," said Pooh after careful thought.

  6. #6
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    Hi there,

    I suffer from hyperventilation too and am seeing a breathing therapist to help change my breathing, she said it can take up to a year or more of hard work but that is different for everyone and depends on your exact problem.

    The book Piglet recommended is great, there is now a slightly newer version of that book called Self Help for Hyperventilation Syndrome by Dinah Bradley, it incorporates everything from the previous book and a few extras like more stories from other patients and how they overcame their problems.

    Good luck,

    Lisa

  7. #7
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    Hi Clarec

    It may be that you are not hyperventilating at all and this is just an awareness that you are now in habit of concentrating on.

    Seems to me that you need to change how you think aboiut the breathing, make it your friend not an enemy and through yoga or tai chi learn new ways of being positively aware of your breath and start slowly to enjoy the experience of breathing and how it can be altered a bit by volantary - yet ultimately it does control our body extremely sucessfully.



    Meg
    www.anxietymanagementltd.com

    Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
    How big is your gallery ?



  8. #8

    Re: Constant Awareness of Breathing

    I have exactly the same problem!

    Suddenly one day for no obvious reason i become aware of every breath i take and it become uncomfatable like someone is sat on my chest or i am breathing through a straw. It is unbelievabley distressing and can make me very depressed and im always panicked.
    Due to this breathing sensation i have regualar panic attacks too which are the scariest things imaginable.
    I think the breathing awareness stems from anxiety about something but is worsened and prolongued by the anxiety i feel when i breath....a vicious circle!
    Im trying all i can to stop being aware of my breathing but its so uncomfatable that its not working so far. every breath feels like i have breathed out instead of in.

    Sleeping is impossible!! Last night i got so panicked i ended up in A and E but they just gave me a bottle of Valium that i am unsure whether to take.
    It makes me not want to leave the house and is putting alot of pressure on my relationship as i am always anxious and difficult to be around

    Its good to know others suffer from this....we just need to beat it and continue our normal lives.

    If anyone has anymore advice, tips etc then dont hesitiate to reply, unless the tip is to try and distract myself as thats tried, tested and almost impossible!

  9. #9
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    Re: Constant Awareness of Breathing

    Hi

    Some interesting comments here about introspection on breathing. Please see this as a sympton of anxiety and has a cause. The cause will be a core belief about debilitating illness, health, dying etc etc........ it needs to be addressed in stages.

    Lets change the word 'anxiety' to 'worry' because we relate to this word better having heard it from chilhood. The never ending 'worry' about your breathing is strengthened while you are in a medium to highly anxious state......... thought feeds feeling/feeling feeds thought.

    The anxious state is manifested byinto a single pointed focus on a fear hence you not being able to 'forget' yourself.

    While in this heightened state, any task it is not easily accomplished. Thought is NOT under conscious control. This is very important to realise about yourself. It will reduce tension if you 'resign' yourself that you are this way at present, with no way o allegiate it immediately.

    In this state you will find it helpful to be 'taking' away thought to the point you are ONLY feeling, adding no words of any nature, negative or positive..............nothing much else going on (very tough at the highest anxiety levels but they will only last at peak for a short time).

    I hear people scream 'HOOOOOOOOW do I stop this intense focus'?..............

    As gently and softly as you can manage bring your consciousness (thoughts) back to an empty mind (anxiety levels need to lower so wait till past peak).................remain still and bring your thoughts to quiet, no frustration, just the process.

    The important message here is that this is NOT an exercise to deal with a panic attack but more about a new way of being.

    When you have practiced and practiced controlling your mind in this way then anxiety connected thoughts will be easier to live with. Yes I did mean Live with.

    You will know with experience that wanting and wishing 'it' away gives rise to further fear, frustration and helplessness. Lower levels of anxiety are needed before a further step back to normality can start.

    I wish you all the very best.

    Mark

  10. #10

    Re: Constant Awareness of Breathing

    Hey!
    Paying attention to your breath really is a pain, I do it sometimes, but I used to do it a lot more for a few years ago.

    What I do is that I simply turn on some relaxing music and try to think about something else, but that may be a little hard to do.

    A little tip: you could try to draw some drawings to get your thoughts on other things
    __________________
    Learn How To Get Rid Of Panic And Anxiety Attacks

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