breathing really getting me down

[mushroom]

Hi

I have had anxiety for over 10 years now, but the 'need to take deep breaths' symptom started approx 3 years ago. I had a really good spell about 2 years ago but it has come back with a vengance. The way I feel at the moment, I feel it will never go. :weep:

My problem at the moment is that I am focusing on trying to get that 'deep breath' constantly. As soon as I wake up in the morning, I 'check' straight away to see if I can get that breath, not a great start to the day!

I get the feeling that someone is holding down my chest really heavily, and sometimes have the lump in the throat feeling too.

I joined a gym recently and my breathing seemed to get a bit better, but in the last few weeks got worse. I do feel better after an excersise class so perhaps I should keep that up.

I just wish this would go away and I could start to live a 'normal' life'. I know in my heart of hearts that I am going to be okay, I just want the feeling to go as it is bringing me down so much and really wearing me out.

Has anyone suffered with this and recovered from it, if so how did you do it?

(I try the 7/11 and holding breath etc etc....sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt.)

Thanks in advance

[Maj]

It's all part of anxiety and when you stop fearing it it will go. I've had it myself before and it is really unpleasant but the only thing you can do is to try and relax and distract yourself. If it gets really troublesome you can get a short course of diazepam from the doctor which will give you a chance to calm down and it will disappear. You'll find you'll get it more often when you are anxious. Exercising is a great way of helping to abolish these symptoms so you are doing the right thing. But always remember, you will always get enough breath, it's the chest muscles that are tense, not your lungs.
Myra:hugs:

[mushroom]

thanks for your reply.

I have been for an hour long excersize class today and know that if there was anything really wrong I wouldn't be able to do that, but I still feel the same, keep trying to get the 'top breath'.....I know that it is all phsycologigal, so why can I just ignore it!!! I even got it in to my head before that I have got some sort of tumor in my chest/windpipe.....but surely I would know about it if I had?

I think I need to try to stop focusing on it and focus on something else instead.

Thanks again for the reply x