Feel like Im forgetting to breathe........

[sammykaye]

Hi All

Well I faced the place of my last two big attacks yesterday and went to work, I did have anxiety for the first 20 minutes I was in but distraction kept them at bay and I managed my 5hr shift with no problem at all.

Came home at 10pm, watched TV for half hour and then went to bed. Then my anxiety hit and my throat started feeling weird and mucusy and I was breathless like I was struggling to breathe, but just as I was reassuring myself and starting to nod off I would almost breathe out too much, and then my body would realise and sort of shock itself into taking a breathe and wake me up again.

Does anyone else have this symptom?

[Ronno]

Hi sammykaye.
I get the same symptoms as you, I can be sitting watching tv or reading, and I get aware of not breathing . It comes and goes , if we weren't getting enough air we would pass out . It's just another symptom of anxiety . This doesn't send me in a panic but other things do of course . Recently I've rediscovered photography and been so involved with it my anxiety disappeared , don't get me wrong i know it will return but I'm enjoying the break from worrying about the way I feel. But it's true what so many have said , being occupied is important .
Again your not alone with you symptoms .

[flori]

I get that too, get aware of not breathing properly. Then I start the belly breathing, before real panic and fear get a grip.

[Kim51]

Same here I will suddenly realise I am holding my breath from fear and have to really concentrate to get breathing back in line, I used to be able to control it but am having real problems at the moment. :)

[fluff]

That is so strange I was just about to post I feel like im forgetting to breathe I been doing this today im ok outside earlier. But inside today I feel im forgetting wheb I walk about :-/

[Stu82]

I have the same symptom. Only comes up when I've had a bad patch with anxiety and seems to be quite a common one.

As already said we're not forgetting to breath as it's an automatic bodily function and you would just pass out. What's happening is we are breathing shallow and makes us think we aren't. Also the tension we feel inside (only has to be slight) doesn't help with the feeling. In the symptoms section of this website there's a good little explanation that makes sense. Only thing is as with anxiety no matter how many times you convince yourself you're fine you still worry about it until it's run it's course then you feel fine and wonder why you worried about it :D