How to make breathing easier during panic attacks

[Skie]

I know to take deep breaths but I struggle to breathe. Any ideas?

[ankietyjoe]

Don't focus on taking deep breaths, so much as slow breaths. You'll feel like you need more air, but you're fine.

Have a google at Buteyko breathing techniques.

[Scass]

It’s really hard to focus on your breathing in the midst of a panic attack, so I try to distract myself by perhaps playing a monotonous game on my phone - whilst I’m concentrating on the game my breathing often regulates itself.

I learnt breathing techniques from relaxation cds. So I’m pretty good now at noticing when my breathing is bad, and starting to do “belly breathing”. Google it x


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[Skie]

Anyone tried the tripod position? I did during one a while ago today and it actually helped my breathing.

[ankietyjoe]

No problem.

[Erinclg]

My therapist taught me a little trick where you hold your breath for about 10 seconds (as if you were under water) as soon as you let the breath out your body will reset itself to breathe at a normal pace. It will help you from over breathing and hyperventilating

[robinhall]

Hi everyone
Please check out cbt4panic.org

My suggestion for breathing is to just make sure you are relaxing your stomach

When we are anxious we tend to over breath or hold our breath - so we either breath from the chest or hold our stomach

If you just relax the stomach - like you were releasing your hold on a sponge you had squinched up in your hand - then you will automatically take a very natural breath

Many people with panic 'desperately' do breathing exercises in order to 'calm down' and 'stop the panic' - and while that is understandable it actually can cause more problems because you are reinforcing the belief that the fight or flight sensations are dangerous and they MUST be stopped at all costs by deep breathing so you unknowingly maintain the fear

I know breathing exercise can have their place - but just check if it's a 'safety behaviour' that you 'desperately' carry out - and if you think that might be the case switch to simply making sure your stomach isn't being tensed tightly and just release that tension and allow breathing to occur naturally on its own

[KK77]

Hi everyone


Many people with panic 'desperately' do breathing exercises in order to 'calm down' and 'stop the panic' - and while that is understandable it actually can cause more problems because you are reinforcing the belief that the fight or flight sensations are dangerous and they MUST be stopped at all costs by deep breathing so you unknowingly maintain the fear



Very valid point, Robin. Trying to control this "adrenaline rush" sensation - ie, stop it - reinforces the belief that it's dangerous, whereas just observing and letting it pass, gradually removes the emotional component/connection.

Obviously, "fight or flight" serves a purpose if you're being chased by a raging bull, but not if you're in the middle of a queue or quietly sitting in a restaurant :lac: