Noticing every breathe I take..

[Shadowwin]

Hello everyone,

I'm hoping someone out there might understand what i've been going through because it's really starting t freak me out and it feels so not normal that at times I'm wondering what the heck is wrong with me now! or if I've become obsessed with my breathing.

I've been in CBT and Relaxation Therapy for about 5 weeks now my therapist is a god send he's helped me go from scared little child in the corner to emerging confidence in such a short time it's remarkable.

One of the things he does with me is guided meditation and self hypnosis to help me to relax which both involve alot of deep breathing.. Well for some reason.. and i don't know if it's just my mind playing tricks on me or what but I've begun to notice every breathe I take.. on a constant basis!!!

I've tried talking to my anxiety free friends about this.. and they all say no.. I don't realize i'm breathing...

It's spooky, thinking back i don't ever remember focusing so much on my breathing.. although when i have an attack it is my first physical feeling that I can't breathe or that i'm suffocating.. I guess the point of this is does anyone out there besides me realize they are breathing? It's supposed to be a unconcious thing isn't it.. we are supposed to do it without realizing it right?... grrr this is becoming such a point of frustration for me.. Help?

[Wannabeloved85]

Hey,
I have these moments. one minute your fine the next your remembering to breathe, scary feeling that your going to forget! Then theres the one where your niticing every breathe, and wondering why the hell your noticing it!
Distaction helped me through this, singing and doodling, singing and cleaning...singing lol not that i can actually sing!
Hope this helps a lil
Take care
Becci x x x

[Shadowwin]

Thank you so much for your reply..it calmed me down alot
I guess i just have to adjust to relaxing and the changes in me
I always thought the panic attacks were rough.. seems like the recovery is just as rough.. but eh anything worth having.. [8D]

[Wannabeloved85]

your welcome shadowwin,
Something that also helped me relax and control/improve my breathing was i think is called box breathing. I do it lying down before i go to sleep at night. You breathe in counting to 4, hold 4 and breathe out through your mouth on 4. But it has to be from your stomach. Place one hand on you chest and one on your belly, if your hand on your chest is moving when you breathe, try to move you breathingto your belly. Simply push your belly out when you breathe in. Its also very relaxing! :)
Take care
Becci x x x

[Meg]

shadowwin

You're probably focussed on so much right now as your therapist has been teaching you to focus on it to for the relaxation and meditation and may even have been showing you new ways to breathe.

When you're acute you are very open to the power of suggestion and if you are asked to concentrate on anything for long enough it will start to feel different to usual.

So what you are describing is very natural indeed.

Please know that it is physically impossible to stop breathing during an attack or any other time.

How Do You Do The Breathing (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4042)
Breathing.. wow (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4037)
Breathing Techniques (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4044)
CONTROLLED BREATHING (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5041)
Working to get better, have a few Q's to ask... (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5412)





Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
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