worried about breathing, but constant?

[thexx]

So here it is, for some reason im constantly worried about my breathing. It almost feels like I'm not taking the breathes im supposed to and im just going to stop if im not going to keep checking...my chest has tightness as well sometimes...but i feel like im going crazy! i feel like im always taking these deep breathes and having a hard time allowing myself to breath normally on a regular basis? anyone having this before? because i keep reading about "throat sensations" in terms of swallowing, but not in terms of this obsession i seem to have with my breathing....? please help!!

[Zsofi]

Yes, I had this too, as a matter of fact I am having it at the moment. Difficulty with breathing, trying to catch your breath and having deep, almost "sighing-like" breaths are typical symptoms of anxiety. You are not alone.

It is always good to check it out with a doctor though (I did it too 3 weeks ago) just to make sure it is nothing physical, make an appointment with your GP, he can assure you the best way.

Hope you'll feel better soon,

Zsofi

[angie79]

hiya ....i have a breathing problems myself ..not quite the same as yours but still an obsession...im frightened of stopping breathing ,and worry when i cant feel myself breath,(shallow breathing)..its like im making myself breath all the time , and if i dont then i might stop breathing. When i think about this it makes me on edge and irritable.

[mary1]

hi there... don't worry i do have these obsession too!!! i keep taking deep breaths although i don't feel like it's deep enough it just makes me soo tired and my chest hurts and i end up yawning..but if i get distracted it gets better once i think about it it starts all over again!!! no surprise coz it is ANXIETY!!! don't worry hon it isnt the scariest thing in anxiety lol hope you feel better soon xxxx

[kestral]

i am getting the same feelings as everyone on this thread and wondered if anxiety was playing a big factor in this, but i dont feel particularly anxious.

[Dungeonmaster]

Once the docs check you out it is most definitely anxiety.

A few months ago I started having the feeling of not breathing just as I would drift off to sleep and it would startle me back to wakefullness and it sometimes would happen over and over. Some nights I was lucky to get a few hours sleep. During this time I was having a problem with my gallbladder (nausea constantly and thus weight loss) and finally had it removed (6.9% ejection rate did not help).

I had a sleep study done and no heart or breathing (apnea) issues although there's a lot of leg movement:shrug: The sleep study doc recommended I look into panic/anxiety treatments and my therapist confirmed that the feeling of not being able to breathe is definitely anxiety once physiological problems have been ruled out (we've only had one session thus far).

Anxiety of different levels can sneak up on you and if I can suggest something, try "belly breathing". Basically you're breathing in using your diaphragm instead of the chest. It stimulates the vagus nerve, gives you more volume of air and will relax you and hopefully take your mind off of conciously thinking about breathing. Good luck!

[chili2424]

Yeah this is really bothering me lately. It feels like I am taking "manual" breaths and not automatic like it should be. People do not check their breathing and it is automatic for them but for me it feels like I have to force myself to do it or my brain won't do it for me. This is such a constant nag and I fear that I'll have a panic attack because of this. Any suggestions on how to make this go away?

[angie79]

chili....im am the same as you totally ! what your doing is shallow breathing ! you need 2 learn 2 breath from your tummy and not your throt! its really scary i know it feels like you have to make your self breath cos you think your going 2 stop ...you wont hunni !! with alot of ppl on here they say its hard to breath cos it tightens and with me it dosnt its just really shallow and it feels like im not breathing !and when you try and make yourself breath you start getting dizzy right? thats cos your not getting enuf oxygen in your brain ! i have found exicise is the best for this cos it gets lots of oxygen to your brain !! i hope this helps xxxxtake care xxx

[Joeturner2]

chili....im am the same as you totally ! what your doing is shallow breathing ! you need 2 learn 2 breath from your tummy and not your throt! its really scary i know it feels like you have to make your self breath cos you think your going 2 stop ...you wont hunni !! with alot of ppl on here they say its hard to breath cos it tightens and with me it dosnt its just really shallow and it feels like im not breathing !and when you try and make yourself breath you start getting dizzy right? thats cos your not getting enuf oxygen in your brain ! i have found exicise is the best for this cos it gets lots of oxygen to your brain !! i hope this helps xxxxtake care xxx


hey, i am having the same problem as you at the moment.
I have been checked over, they said to me when they were checking me over that i was shallow breathing, they then told me to take a deep breathe and i couldnt :(

but yeh cut along story short sometimes it feels like i cant breathe through my nose, but if i keep breathing through my mouth i get dizzy and tight chest etc

[chili2424]

Well I'm still getting this but it's getting better. Best advice to you all is to totally distract youself and not to focus on your breaths. I still find difficulty when I try to relax but hopefully that will fade

[sharonroberts]

Hi Guys

I have been worried about this same thing lately...feels like i have to make an effort to breathe and also my chest feels tight...But when I am distracted the feelings go away until it comes back into my mind...however I often feel my chest is a bit tight when i first wake in the morning, is it possible that this might be attributed to anxiety also...i have terrible problems with insomnia as result of anxiety and most days I only get between 5 and 7 hours sleep....

thanks

[Masa]

Hi, I also have trouble breathing and this has been going on for about 6 months. I'm on Citalopram 20mg and this breathing problem started about a month after I started taking Citalopram. I am convinced that it's something to do with the pill, but it's not listed on side effects. I constantly feel the need to take deep breaths and feel like I'm not getting enough air. It really bothers me and not sure how to fix it. Trying to do breathing exercises just doesn't help! Does anyone have any advice? I went back to my GP last week, she listened to my chest and also did this test where you take a deep breath and then blow into this tube and it was all normal, she said that it shows that there is no obstructions.
I can't help myself, I'm really worried about this.

[Clair]

I often worry that I'm going to stop breathing and I end up taking big gulpy breaths. Once I get to that point I can't stop thinking about it and it feels like if I stop then I'll die. The problem is that the more I do it the more likely I am to start hyperventilating and this can bring on a panic attack :wacko:

Actually, the best thing I can do once I start to think I can't breathe properly is to find something to do that will really use my brain power (watching T.V or reading is normally enough as I can do both of these whilst still worrying). The important thing to remember is that you are not alone! :bighug1:

[ann01]

I have this problem too, today i'm quite bad with it. I feel breathless just sat down and feel I have to breath myself cause I don't feel my body does it automatically. Does anyone find they have trouble talking with there breathing as now and then I don't feel I have the breath to talk. I've had lung function test and that was fine. Strangly though i don't notice it when im distracted. It is a horrible symptom of anxiety.
Ann x

[Stu82]

Wow I thought it was just me lol! How many of us have thought that!

I have had the same anxiety symptom for the last 7yrs on and off, seems to be my main worry when my anxiety flares up. I paid to see a therapist years ago and he said it seems to be like a coping mechanism for as when I think back about it does seem to help me get through the worst times with out too many other of the symptoms. Although I have had the brain injury worries in the past too lol!
As many people have said I do tend to find it is down to shallow breathing/tightness in chest and diaphragm which is down to anxiety but as soon as my frame of mind gets better it doesn't bother me at all even if I think about it which guess what, tells me it's all down to anxiety. It used to go on worrying me and focused on my breathing thinking I'll stop if I don't for weeks and weeks but now it tends to be a few days then I'm good again. Last year and year before I was really good only having anxiety at the normal times but this last month it has flared up again but when I think back I've had a busy start to the year with starting a new job when I was at my last place for 5yrs, sold home that I'd lived in for 6.5yrs (which was very stressful) + moved out of my home city and also I get a bit anxious about flying and go on holiday in a couple of days time so makes sense why I have felt like this for last month or so. Oh and I also broke my foot 5 weeks ago so not been able to exercise which really helps me!

[Laurenlow14]

I've been feeling exactly like this! It's like I can't breathe at all and I'm scared I'm going to just stop breathing ! It's really affecting and upsetting me now I just don't know how to control it !

[Stu82]

Lauren since my last post above yours I've been on and off with it. Tends to be more difficult when I've had a stressful period but same as you sometimes can go on for a while.
I'm having trouble with it again now but as everyone else has said you will always breath natural without the need to be thinking about it. As I have found out over time it seems to be a very common symptom with anxiety. Funny thing is for the last 6 weeks I have been worried and focused on something else and for that whole time I didn't worry about my breathing and was absolutely fine with it lol!

Things that make me feel better when worrying about it:

Incense
Nice smelling candles
Plenty fresh air (window open slightly when in)
Regular exercise (after a couple of months you start feeling benefit)
Swimming
Music (better with headphones)
Chewing gum
Drink plenty of water everyday (2ltrs)
Try relax where you can

It's a strange thing anxiety and is all in our minds and feelings. It causes physical symptoms but nothing that can hurt us (other than aches etc).

You'll be absalutely fine :)

---------- Post added at 21:05 ---------- Previous post was at 20:59 ----------

Read this too:

Breathing/Shortness of breath

The hyperventilation as above plus your bronchial tubes dilate thus requiring more air than usual to fill the lungs so feels that it's taking more effort to breathe – it is , you're taking in more air at each breath.

What you feel:

You feel that your breathing is forced and laboured. You become conscious of how you are breathing and you have a hard time catching your breath. It seems like you have to force yourself to breathe, in fear that if you don't, you'll stop breathing and die. Or, for no apparent reason, you feel out of breath and find yourself doing an unusual amount of yawning in an attempt to catch your breath.

What causes this:

When stress biology changes the body, it quickens the breathing and respiration so that the individual is ready for immediate action. Unfortunately, this also means that the breathing becomes shallow in nature (unless we are physically exerting the body such as running, fighting, swimming, etc.) which results in the body not getting enough oxygen. That's why we feel out of breath. This is a natural occurring biological outcome resulting from stress biology.

Sometimes this symptom will be persistent from day to day, and other times it may appear for awhile, then disappear. Both are common. Once the nervous system calms down, you breathing will return to normal.

Also, because breathing is an automatic bodily function, you'll never have to worry about not breathing. Your body does it automatically. It may be shallow, but you'll always get enough oxygen.

Regular exercise helps to maintain regular breathing patterns.

As with all symptoms, when the nervous system gets sufficient rest, this symptom will diminish and eventually subside.