Is there such a thing as anxious breathing ?

[Blair]

Hey.. not posted on here in little while due to anxiety subsiding somewhat over the past few months. Recently though it has started to creep back in a little and whilst walking to my flat a couple of weeks ago anxiety made me start to hyperventilate. I managed to get in and calm myself down and it eventually passed.

Now whenever I am out and about I am super conscious about my breathing. I can't stop thinking about it. The dumb thing is I know I can breath fine. I can take a deep breath if I need to but the anxiety is causing it just to feel uncomfertable. It's as if the rhythm of by breathing is off it's normal pace. I sometimes feel like I could hyperventilate any second and that it turn makes me a bit panicky. Most people when having anxiety sometimes feel like they can't take in a proper breath well I am the opposite. I can take it in but it doesn't feel satisfying when I exhale.. as if it never all got out.. but it has. weird isn't it.

I accept that I need to forget about my breathing and just get on with it but my obbsessive thinking is a hard thing to control. I have tried all manner of relaxation and breathing exercises and that's ok indoors where I can relax.. it's when I'm walking about outside that I feel most uncomfertable.

Has anyone has anything like this ? Any hints or tips that could help me ? I feel like I can cope with most anxiety but ever since I was young I've had a real problem with anything that troubles my breathing e.g being underwater etc so this particular symptom is causing distress that is hard to get over.

Thanks in advance for any help

Blair

[net]

there is such a thing and the only help is breathing exercises but you say they only work indoors
have you tried breathing from your diaphram when your out or telling your body to breathe normally.
have you tried keeping your mind distracted so you dont focus on breathing

cant think of anything else at the moment

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[Blair]

Yeah I do try and tell myself to breath normally. Distracting myself from thinking about it is harder though.. I know if I could just push it out of my mind then the problem wouldn't be there but I guess that is the case for 99% of anxiety symptoms.

[Piglet]

Blair,

This is totally common and happens to me regularly when I am hyper anxious!

I think there are lots of things you can do, starting with telling yourself you know very well that it will correct itself in a few moments without undue interference from you!!

I also slow my breathing right down and let my exhale be very long and slow, I also rest my hand on my tummy to see if it swells slightly then I know I am not chest breathing!!

Another thing to do would be to work on your anxiety levels in a more general sense. I got a good cd from the charity 'Nopanic' which a muscle relaxtion one - done on a regular basis this is very helpful!

Love Piglet xx

"Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it?" said Piglet.
"Supposing it didn't," said Pooh after careful thought.