Cant get any air in

[Brownie]

Hi all,

Usually my first symptom of panic is the feeling like i cant breathe or get any air in. Its really scary and i was wondering if anyone else felt this way and had any ways they could share about calming down the feeling. I usually open a window and try to get some air but that doesnt always help.

-Christie

[stimpy]

I hate that feeling.
I always try to breathe deeply and sit by an open door.
Positive thinking can help. Telling yourself it is only panic and the feelings will go away if you just remain calm and try to breath deeply.
It's amazing how quickly the feeling of not being able to breath turns into a full scale panic.

Love, light and Best wishes
Liz xxx

[] Panic Monster & Scatty Eccentric

[Panikki]

Hi Christie,
I get this alot and it's really the pits as far as symtoms go and the most scarey, as we all feel its essential to breathe and when you feel you cant get enough air in your lungs it's mega panic! As with most symptoms of panic the more you concentrate on a symptom the worse things get, I just try to distract myself as much as possible , just turn to anything that will take my thoughts away from what i'm feeling...this is hard ..believe me i know, but any control i try to take on my breathing to help with this just takes my attention back to what i'm having probs with so i find it better to just blot it out my mind with completely different thoughts altogether. I hope this makes sense ..Take Care ..Luv Jodiexx

J Baker

[uryjm]

Exercise is a good way of "proving" to yourself there's nothing wrong with your lungs and heart. Getting yourself mildly out of breath will show you how your body's vital functions will respond with or without help (or hindrence)from your brain. Nobody - to my knowledge - has ever collapsed or kicked the bucket through holding their breath. And while you maybe can't always just get out and exercise, the memory of how once you pushed yourself to breathlessness and nothing untoward happened can be quite reassuring.

Jim

[twister]

I have it now as I am stressed at work - I just try and ignore it though - the worst that will happen is I'll pass out and then I'll breathe again!

I also wake up in the night not breathing. That IS weird!

Emily

[ana]

Hi Christie!
You described a very common symptom of a panic attack. When I can't breathe, I try to think of something that might help. Like, breathing into a paper bag or 7:11 breathing. Try that.
And Emily, maybe you should see a doctor 'cause there might be something wrong wity your lungs, or it could be a very intense panic.
Wish you all the best
P.S. Hope to talk to you, Christie soon
Love
Ana

[J Swift]

I had that breathing thing on and off for a while - Then, after a few bad "attacks" of it (feeling like I couldn't take a deep enough breath), started to become regular, then it became kind of chronic, so I could never take a deep enough breath.

I didn't even realise it was anything to do with anxiety - The doctors prescribed asthma medication, like steroids and things, but they didn't seem to help.

Anyway, I think the breathing thing generally caused this chlosterphobic (sure that's not spelt right!) and panicked feeling, which eventually led to more anxiety and everything - And definetly precipitated panic attacks for me.

So, almost 1 1/2 years after it first came on, and with so much awful advice from doctors, I stumbled across this Buyteko Method, for beating asthma and breathing problems.

And what do you know? I've been trying the exercises for a few days and I finally feel like I can breathe deeply again after all this time! And it helps a lot if I find myself yawning a lot or starting to feel a little short of breath.

I'm not sure if this is what all shortness of breath is caused by in anxiety/panic, but I think it's a MAJOR factor - Basically the technique is all about controlling over-breathing that you do all the time when you're a little stressed - Called Hidden-hyperventilation.

Here's a good article anyway:
http://www.nexusmagazine.com/Buteyko.html

It has helped me so much! I'm even starting to think this whole health/anxiety/panic thing could be hugely routed in breathing patterns - They pay a lot of attention to it in the east - And funnily enough, the Buteyko thing is actually quite against deep breathing, instead saying that most of us breath between 2 and 4 times too much oxygen anyway... The idea is to gradually restore your CO2 levels.


Certainly, if you find yourself yawning a lot, or feel like you can't take a deep enough breath, and definetly if you ever get woken with a sudden jolt when falling asleep, and need to take a deep breath, then there's a good chance it's hidden hyperventilation.

I'm really not sure how much research has been done into this, but it's the had most dramatic effect on my life, and I only discovered that page about a week ago!

There's also a self-test - Breath out and see how long you can hold your breath before you notice any discomfort - For me it was about 10-15 seconds at first - Which meant I was generally breathing 4x too much air! But I think I've managed to improve on that already!

I do hope this works for you!

(PS, the other thing that gives me that sensation, although MUCH more intense, is when I forget to breath altogether - Took me a while to figure that one out! Honestly thought it was a heart problem for about a year! Feel suddenly lightheaded, VERY tight chest, air hunger, etc... That's very common and is quite possibly your body's attempt to restore CO2 levels to normal - As is the sleeping thing I think!)

I wouldn't be suprised if a good 60% of anxiety/panic sufferers have nothing more than bad breathing habits - And they are so easily cured!

EDIT: (I'll shut up in a minute!) Recently, if the shortness of breath comes on - And it's often for no reason whatsoever - I actually make sure I only breath through my nose, quite slowly, but not very deep - Pretty shallow really - Try to resist the urge to take big struggled breaths - Pausing after the out breath - I'm really deliberately not breathing as much as I "feel" I need... It is uncomfortable at first, but the symptoms just disapprear within a minute or two - And it seems to get easier and easier by the day... If you've got anxiety/stress, I'd say it's more likely you're used to over-breathing than not breathing enough... And the exercises just seem to get you used to breathing the right amount of air.. Gets easier by the day.

[J Swift]

Where are my manners!?

Nice to meet all of you!

[nomorepanic]

Hi J swift

Many thanks for that info and the link - I will take a look.

Welcome to the site by the way!!

Nicola

[twister]

Thanks J Swift that was a really interesting post - I'll definitely have a look at that link.

Ana - I don't think I have a lung problem - you shouldn't go around saying things like that on an anxiety board!!!!!



Emily