The Sensation of Breathing scares me...

[Breathe Breathe]

I never used to have a problem with breathing in the past. But since I became fully aware of it, the very sensation of inhaling and exhaling has been very uncomfortable to me, today more than other days. Also the idea that I have to keep monitoring each breath to survive.

I wish I could just take a break from breathing, but the only way to do that would be to die, and I REALLY don't want that...

[skymaid]

i've heard of this about automatic bodily functions like blinking and breathing.

it's a form of ocd and be treated with cbt.

[Massive worrier]

Yes, i get this too. When i notice it and sometimes this can last weeks it feels like my diaphram is tired and i wonder if it will continue to work!! Also, my neck feels very tight. Do you get this too?

[swajj]

It is one of my most prevalent anxiety symptoms, second only to worries about my eyes. I am not OCD.

If you truly had breathing problems you wouldn't be able to walk around your house without experiencing difficulty. My doctor told me that. Go for a brisk walk. That's what I do or I walk up a couple of flights of stairs. It reassures me that I am breathing normally because I know I would be breathless doing those activities if I truly had a problem.

[Catherine S]

You also carry on breathing when you're asleep without any conscious effort. The moment you start to focus on your breathing pattern is the moment the normal pattern starts to change, because then you are trying to take over and control it. Find ways to relax and let your breathing do what it does naturally.

ISB x