Amani
11-01-16, 23:08
I'm 24 and have anxiety in many forms and varying severity since a very young age, Most recently my anxiety caught up with my me and 2 years ago I developed a Dysfunctional Breathing Disorder/Chronic Hyperventilation (due to long term anxious breathing) which is chronic and takes months/years of physiotherapy to cure. For the past year it had been very under control (the physio was working) to the point where I could get on with my day to day life without noticing it much or it impacting my life.
But recently I had a recent break up which left me very depressed and anxious and I stopped doing my breathing exercises (which I need to do 3 times a day) and my Dysfunctional Breathing came back with a vengeance. And the symptoms feel so severe, even more than I remember, and are often impossible to ignore. Feeling of suffocation that can last hours, tightening of airways, unable to talk for periods due to breathlessness, choking feelings are examples. Other than breathing issues I have other physical symptoms manifesting from anxiety such as difficultly swallowing food, extreme light-headedness etc. I have been to the hospital and been examined and tested so know that there is nothing wrong me on a rational level (sort of). But the feelings of suffocation/my airways restricting etc are just so hard to ignore and not panic about when they come about. But I know panic and anxiety will make things worse and hinder me getting back to normal again, so I just NEED to tame my anxiety over my symptoms. I also freak out if I experience sensations I'm not used to - they also often feel really extreme and I imagine the worse. For example I get weird brain sensations when falling asleep sometimes and one night I woke up with this intense constricting feeling in my eye and woke up in a panic as I was convinced I was having an aneurysm.
I was given a short course of Valium for my breathing which helped my breathing about 85% and all my other symptoms completely went away which was reassuring. But now I'm tapering down on the Valium and can feel myself getting worse again and more anxious don't know what to do next. I know my physical symptoms will only get worse the more anxious I get so it's a viscous cycle I need to get out if. I'm seeing a new therapist who seems helpful but I know I will have to wait for results from that and am worried about the mean time, especially with coming off the Valium. I also live by myself which is more scary when I get the symptoms (I was with family when I was really bad over the holidays but have just gotten back home by myself 2 days ago).
And help or advice would be appreciated. Thanks
But recently I had a recent break up which left me very depressed and anxious and I stopped doing my breathing exercises (which I need to do 3 times a day) and my Dysfunctional Breathing came back with a vengeance. And the symptoms feel so severe, even more than I remember, and are often impossible to ignore. Feeling of suffocation that can last hours, tightening of airways, unable to talk for periods due to breathlessness, choking feelings are examples. Other than breathing issues I have other physical symptoms manifesting from anxiety such as difficultly swallowing food, extreme light-headedness etc. I have been to the hospital and been examined and tested so know that there is nothing wrong me on a rational level (sort of). But the feelings of suffocation/my airways restricting etc are just so hard to ignore and not panic about when they come about. But I know panic and anxiety will make things worse and hinder me getting back to normal again, so I just NEED to tame my anxiety over my symptoms. I also freak out if I experience sensations I'm not used to - they also often feel really extreme and I imagine the worse. For example I get weird brain sensations when falling asleep sometimes and one night I woke up with this intense constricting feeling in my eye and woke up in a panic as I was convinced I was having an aneurysm.
I was given a short course of Valium for my breathing which helped my breathing about 85% and all my other symptoms completely went away which was reassuring. But now I'm tapering down on the Valium and can feel myself getting worse again and more anxious don't know what to do next. I know my physical symptoms will only get worse the more anxious I get so it's a viscous cycle I need to get out if. I'm seeing a new therapist who seems helpful but I know I will have to wait for results from that and am worried about the mean time, especially with coming off the Valium. I also live by myself which is more scary when I get the symptoms (I was with family when I was really bad over the holidays but have just gotten back home by myself 2 days ago).
And help or advice would be appreciated. Thanks