Struggling to breath... but not?!?!

[BeckyBop]

Hi everyone
I really dont understand why I cant just get over my anxiety with breathing. Today has been a bad day with me focusing on it almost all day and so of course this casues problem becauses then I dont breath propeprly and anxiety kicks in. I struggle with multiple things - breathlessness, feeling like my breaths aret working and perhaps worst of all when im really anxious a feeling that I actually cant take a breath very scary. But the point im trying to make is if I get 'breathless' I can catch myself singing at the top of my voice and can do so easily. I was also distarcted through an hour of excercise earlier so if I can be distracted and breath fine. I just dont understand why i cant seem to breath normally or even at all yet I can sing at the top of my voice?!

[EKB]

Breathing is one of those automatic things that your body does as needed. So, if you start to take over it manually, then it does become a struggle.

Perhaps when you feel this way, you SHOULD sing! If I could sing, I'd do the same. (My singing is awful).

When I feel this way, I actually let my body pause breathing. Just try it. Just let yourself not breathe. Your body won't let you though, and you WILL breathe. And it won't be a panicked inhale, it will be a very nonchalant kind of "oh, you gonna let me do my job now?" kind of inhale. :)

[Tanner40]

Hey Becky, are you working on CBT or reading any self help book? I downloaded a book called, Feel The Fear And Do it Anyway and it has helped me immensely. This is the same fear that you've been posting about for a month. Have you stopped breathing yet? You're not likely to stop breathing. Ignore it and it will go away.

[Daisy Sue]

Did you watch the 'Educating Yorkshire' tv series? In one episode there was a kid who stuttered really badly, except when he had headphones on with music playing through them.

Also, my son had a speech hesitation problem when he was very young, but not when he was singing or reciting nursery rhymes.

I think all these things, and your breathing issue, are related in that they are anxiety/stress caused, and when distracted, we relax enough for everything to work as it should.

If you can breathe normally when singing/sleeping, then you can breathe normally all the time - you just have to educate your mind to not focus on your breathing, but on something else, anything - even a song in your head if that works.