Lightheaded everyday

[Ric77767]

Hello all was just wondering do anyone else feel lightheadness / off balance / spacey feeling. I feel it all day every day everyone keeps saying it is just anxiety.

I try to ignore it but it driving me mad. Sometimes feel like I need to hold on to something. When I walk I feel like im walking all over the place too

Also when I look in the mirror I feel dizzy.

Anyone else or just me ??

Thanks ric

[Jamesk]

Yup everyday. Rubbish isn't it! :scared15:

[Jules147]

7/11 breathing should fix that one. It takes a little practice though.

[Lilac58]

Me too. Just got back from the post box, felt I was all over the pavement, like I was going to walk in to the road. Ended up holding on to a wall a bit and have to sit down now I'm home. I have the mirror thing too like I can't focus on myself. Horrid.

[gem7]

yes i have all of that and the spacey feeling and feeling dizzy its driveing me mad too lol

[josh1987]

yep me 2 anyone no how to help stop it

[Jules147]

See post #3 above.

[josh1987]

i dnt no what 7/11 means

[Jules147]

Practice makes perfect. Do the 7/11 breathing exercises two or three times daily for three minutes at a time. Breathe in through the nose counting to 7, pause, out through pursed lips counting to 11. Don't try to sneak in extra quick breaths. You don't need to take time out to do the breathing exercises. You can do it while you are out and about, in the checkout queue or as you are walking or driving.

With practice it will become automatic and unconscious. As my CBT therapist said, "correct breathing should become the habit and worrying the chore, not the other way round!"

The light-headedness is caused by an excess of oxygen with insufficient carbon dioxide to transport it to your brain. This won't harm you but it will give you strange sensations including light-headedness and/or tingling/numbness in any of your extremities or around your mouth.

Shallow, rapid breathing is the cause of this oxygen/carbon dioxide imbalance. It is called chronic hyperventilation and you can do it both silently and unconsciously. 7/11 breathing exercises help your brain to re-programme a better breathing rhythm. With practice slower and deeper breathing will become an unconscious habit.

[josh1987]

thanks mate ill try that

[Ric77767]

Well I guess it's not just me then. Do anyone really struggle in shops
I had to walk out of tescos at the weekend as thought I was going to faint. It's horrible of only it could stop. Did the breathing work for you Jules ?!

[xvolatileheart]

Every day!!! I've managed to get all of my other symptoms under control, but I feel lightheaded every single day, from about an hour or two after waking up until it's time to go to bed. My only time of feeling normal is right when I wake up. It's really driving me crazy as I think about it 24/7 and can't distract myself.

My breathing doesn't feel out of whack either, so I don't understand why this is the case. In fact, the more I try to focus on my breathing and control it, the worse I feel. :wacko:

[Jules147]

Well I guess it's not just me then. Do anyone really struggle in shops
I had to walk out of tescos at the weekend as thought I was going to faint. It's horrible of only it could stop. Did the breathing work for you Jules ?!

Yes, once my therapist showed me how to do it. I have passed on what he taught me.

[Ric77767]

Ok will try this then. Did it take long to work. The only other symptom I sometimes get is tight chest on the left hand side !

[Ric77767]

Does anyone get the left side chest tightness too ?!

[purplesky]

Great advice about the breathing exercise. It will help get any 'over' breathing under control. The only thing I would say is that while light headedness does come from too much oxygen in the blood, it can also just happen if you are breathing normally.

So yes the breathing exercises are great, but for anyone who breathes normally and still feels light headed or dizzy, that can be your nervous system kind of playing tricks on you to provoke feelings of anxiety possibly leading to panic attack symptoms.

I would also recommend the books by Claire Weekes: 'Self help for your nerves' is one of them. :) They explain lots about all these types of symptoms, and you will be able to relate. I felt much better just realising I wasn't alone or going mad..