Obsessive breathing

[lenakhold97]

Hiya
Im new here, I have always read posts on here but never made an account. Basically I have had anxiety for a few years now, but I have become significantly better through therapy. I am a uni student who is doing exams at the moment so my anxiety is obviously higher than it usually would be, pre-exams I was doing well, feeling positive. I also have a therapist who I have been working with, we are doing really well and have uncovered most of what I've repressed for years. However, because I'm nearly finished the exams and I am really burnt out and exhausted, for the last week or so I have been obsessing over my breathing. I can't stop thinking about it, which is horrible during the exams because I think I'm going to panic or pass out, even though I always get through it. I know that this will eventually pass but am mainly looking for some reassurance because I know this is related to obsessive thinking, I have obsessive thinking with other things too health related/related to myself but it's just become something really scary and I keep worrying about what I'll do if I am trapped with this forever. I can't seem to stop thinking about it however distracted I am. I feel like I have to yawn or take a really deep breath in order to feel ok but that goes once I have got into the cycle again. Do you think once I finish exams and remove the pressure of that I can actually mentally and physically relax and recover and that will help me to go back to normal? This is awful, would love to hear tips from anyone that has/has experienced this or similar. I don't want to be stuck with this forever.

[nikkinik]

Have you told your therapist about your breathing worries?

I tend to think very negatively when I don't feel 100% - my anxiety started with ill health.. It flares up at stressful times too, possibly because during those times I don't feel 100% (through tiredness or whatever).

Have you read a little on breathing properly? It helped me to learn to breath properly through boughts of pain etc, otherwise i feel extremely faint. It's difficult to reign it in sometimes when you're approaching a panic but it's not impossible, not by any means, it just takes some positive affirmations and gentle breathing.

For me I think I will "be stuck with this forever" in a way, it's a part of me but it's not all of me, I know that I just need to work on myself from time to time and I'm alright with that. Maybe we're just a bit special! Lol
For you I think a large proportion, if not all the anxiety will pass once the stress of exams has passed, promise yourself a break at the end as you'll likely deserve it

[vincy]

Yes, of course you will go back to normal! For me, whenever I think about the fact that I breathe, and no just do it naturally, I suddenly have some trouble breathing! Trust me, it WILL go away. For me, the breathing thing goes away faster than others. I get fixated on a lot of natural processes. Breathing, salivating, blinking, and much more. The breathing one is the least of my worries because I know it will go away. I am pretty used to the feeling now

It scares you now, but it won't NEARLY as much as soon as it goes away for the first time. You'll think to yourself "oh, I'm normal again", and the next time it happens, you'll be able to stop thinking about it even faster. Eventually, if this keeps happening to you, it'll hardly bother you

Good luck with exams, and don't worry, it'll go away!

[Cavy020]

Hey all!

I hope this helps all of you because it has been working for me. Lately I’ve been having major panic attacks due to my obsessive breathing. After doing some research I found that Vick’s was the cure for me. I highly recommend for those who suffer from obsessive breathing anxiety to pick up a tube of Vick’s. You can pick this up at any Pharmacy and I promise you that it will help and if your lucky it will be your cure too.