Anyone else here hyperventilate?

[tan235]

Sorry, I know posting that will start you hyperventilating!
Anyone else here get that?
I will spend hours trying to get a deep breath, I"ll yawn and yawn but it won't be refreshing it will stop halfway through and then I panic and try to yawn even harder until FINALLY, I can yawn, only to feel that weird sensation creep up again that I need to yawn!
OMG it drives me nuts and now I"m thinking maybe it's not anxiety and it's real and I have lung cancer?
I've had it for years and years but that doesn't mean that it's not something.
I don't know how to stop it, even writing about it creates it aggh it's driving me nuts -anyone else???

---------- Post added at 05:16 ---------- Previous post was at 04:57 ----------

I should add I mainly get it at night time when I'm in bed..

[EKB]

When I'm hyperventilating I do this: lay on my back, either in bed or on the floor. I breath out all my breath (gently, not straining, just breathing out until I can't anymore). Then I wait. Within about 10 seconds without trying you will breathe in again, because your body knows how to breathe.

This helps me because when I'm consciously trying to get a breath it's like I'm working at cross purposes with my body's actual ability to breathe. Doing the breathing out thing a few times with a few normal breaths in between sort of resets me.

You can do this sitting too. But laying down gives some comfort if anxiety makes you think you'll pass out (you won't! But you're laying down anyway so nothing to worry about).

Anyway. That's what works for me. :)

[Devyn]

if you're having trouble breathing all the way in then you're experiencing shortness of breath, which is a very common symptom of anxiety (Especially anxiety/panic attacks). If you're extremely anxious then your chest is going to tighten up , it's a normal response to stress.