Hi All,

I have suffered from health anxiety for a number of years, and although I freak out about every little symptom to a degree, my biggest concern is over my breathing - when I get anxious and hyperventilate, I become fixated on it and think that I'm going to suddenly stop, or lose control of it and collapse and die.

I suffer from anxiety in certain social situations anyway (crowded spaces, 'confined' spaces such as cinemas, theatre etc, where I know I have to be and feel like I can't escape for a fixed amount of time). And the thought of doing anything that will make me anxious means that I'll turn down doing so much in favour of sitting at home, because for some reason I feel less anxious here... well, sometimes.

Just this afternoon my friend asked if I'd like to go for a walk in the woods, but my brain's like, "what if your breathing goes funny in the middle of the woods and you're miles from emergency help?"... which pretty much, if I do go out, limits me to places that I hope aren't far from a hospital or something.

Another friend has invited me to see some bands play tonight, but I went to see one on Friday and got anxious and hyperventilated and concentrated on my breathing the whole time I was there... so I don't want to go to this one because I'm sure it will be the same.

The funny thing is that I've travelled alone to America twice this year, and Lord knows how I managed that, but I did. I was sooo scared but I did it, and I thought it would help me overcome some of the issues I feel back at home... but they didn't.

I feel like I'm stuck in limbo because I'm too scared to do anything, really, without a huge pre-occupation about my health and breathing the whole time.

Can anyone relate, or offer some advice?

Sorry to ramble so much.