upset with myself -breathing anxiety back

[AnxiousPansa]

hi all
recently has been quite good on anxiety front for me. I rose above my new fear and wad a much happier person - there have even been times i felt like my old self again. But then after having not been bothe red by it for ages I regained my awareness of breathing and tjthe worries that accompany it. I am lying awake at 1:15 angrywith myself because my chestfeels tigbt andkike ifeel like im struggling to take a breathe and i feel weak and i angry for not accepting it as anxidty amd moving on! ive had it a miillion times and yet now it mustbe serious! i feel very anxious over my tight/strange chest and feeling like i cant breathe as nd annoyed at myself! i am also upset because my mum was so happy i wasdoingwell! i feel so discouraged

[Tanner40]

Pansa, stop and take a deep breath. Enjoy that breath. It is an automatic reflex. Try holding your breath for two minutes and see what happens. You will not be able to do it. You will be forced to breathe. Laugh when that happens. Enjoy that breath and be thankful. Every time that you fear that you will stop breathing, try it again. Just laugh at that irrational fear. See if it doesn't work.

[mummyanxious]

I can relate. Since I had a chest infection last year I have been unable to breath properly. My stats are always 99-100% so I'm getting enough air. I just really struggle to breath and gasp for air all the time. I get pains deep in my chest when I breath too deep too. Had a chest X-ray and nothing sinister found so dr at a loss and can't suggest anything.
Is there anything you can do? Breathing training or something?

[kitkat96]

Goodness, this could be me writing!
I understand completely how you feel :hugs:
Try breath holds- in for 3, hold for 5, out for five.
The holding bit is very important, as it allows your carbon dioxide and oxygen levels to level out: when you have too much oxygen in your system, it causes anxiety :)
Most of all, try to smile, even if it feels really forced- smiling releases endorphins which send a message to your brain saying 'everything's ok, you don't have to keep producing adrenalin'....adrenalin being the chemical that causes all these effects, including chest tightness.
Hope this helps! :D