Paranoid of forgetting how to breathe

[maddierose98]

Hey everyone, my last post here was about having a choking phobia but that's settled, since something else has popped up. for about 2 weeks, some nights when I lied in bed before sleeping I would concentrate on my breathing and freak out. But when I fell asleep I'd forget about it the next day, even though my sleep has been quite disturbed lately. Anyway yesterday I went for a walk with mum in the morning, and for some reason I kept thinking and panicking about my breathing. So yesterday I realized I have reached a point in my agoraphobia, depression, anxiety/panic disorder that I was going to give in on trying to do it by myself so I decided that I would start taking the Lovan antidepressant (that had been prescribed for me a few weeks ago but I hadent started. So I took half a tablet yesterday and half today as prescribed, but yesterday when I took it I felt really happy for a few hours then it wore off. I have not had any side effects, (for now), I hope it works for my stupid problems and I can be normal again. My current problem is I'm paranoid of forgetting how to breathe/stopping breathing unless I think about it. It's so weird and annoying, I feel like I can't breathe properly, I don't have any physical health problems. WHAT DO I DO?!?!?

[Ddcoo]

You won't stop breathing, it is an automatic response in your body, and even if you held your breath and tried to stop breathing you would just faint and come to again, so please don't worry. I think we all get times like you and they are just another little joke from the brain trying to make you scared. Please try to accept this as anxiety and let the tablets help you.

[BobbyDog]

I can relate to this problem as I hyperventilate.
Remember and remind yourself that breathing is controlled by the subconscious mind. When you forget about controlling your breathing your subconscious mind WILL take over.
I've been told that I have to be firm with myself in order to stop this silly and stressful habit. I am getting better. When you think about controlling your breathing, talk to yourself very sternly. If you hold your breath for as long as you can, eventually you will start breathing again.
Sorry I couldn't be of more help.