ANXIETY and why we feel we can't breathe?

[sebinkent]

Why is it that anxiety has to create this terrible feeling like we're suffocating or that we can't fill our lungs? I would almost prefer any other symptom over this one. It generates so much fear and the more I think about my breathing the worse it gets. I have woken up in the morning feeling like someone's sitting on my chest and sometimes it feels like I'm breathing through a straw. I know I have written about this before and mentioned Hyperventilation Syndrome, which I am certain I have. It's just therapeutic to write about it and see if other people have this. I have been doing breathing exercises recently which help but my problem is I keep thinking about all the possible, physical causes that I 'could' have like asthma for example (as well as other things) and that just keeps the anxiety going and keeps me from breathing in a relaxed way. AAAAAAAAAGH!!!
This really is enough to drive you mad! :scared15:

[pablo22]

take a bow! im here with you, i just feel like so so uncompfortable... like theres too much air in my lungs, other times i feell like im being smothered its awful!! and i always get the straw breathe leading up to a panic atttack!!

ive been reading claire weeks book "help for nervous suffering" and she said something interesting.. that the vast majority of people aren't aware of their breathing, only us anxious folk focus on it :s ... i dont know,.. whatever is happeneing its a nightmare.. sometimes im afraid im going to stop breathing all together like if i get too relaxed... other times it feels like im really forcing myself to breathe and any moment i could have a panic attack