Hey all,

So recently I've had a new anxiety symptom, hyperventilation. I think I may have had it for a while without noticing it; I don't hyperventilate to the extreme, but I definitely breath quicker than normal.

The main issue is that I keep slipping into conscious breathing, and I have a very very difficult time finding the right rate to breath, I think I always breath too fast. The only symptom is numb lips, but even this worries me; if my lips aren't getting enough oxygen, maybe my brain isn't either and my brain cells are dying?

It's a stupid worry, but it's been driving me crazy. I try and hold my breath for a few seconds in between breaths to slow my breathing down, but then I worry that my oxygen is dropping too low and that I'll hurt my brain again...

So is it possible that having numb lips from hyperventilation could cause brain damage?

And how can I stop this conscious breathing? I hate it.