Re: Out of breath feeling/ short of breath
Anxiety caused horrible shortness of breath for me, I even started carrying around a pulse oximeter and measuring my oxygen! I always felt like I couldn’t breathe. I once asked a doctor how can I tell if shortness of breath is anxiety or real, and he clutched his chest and showed me and since that demonstration, I didn’t worry about shortness of breath again because it’s JUST a sensation and panicking will exacerbate it. Fact: if you can talk or swallow water, you can breathe. I was in the EAr once saying “I can’t breathe” and they assured me that nobody who can say that, is actually experiencing shortness of breath.
If if I get bouts of this sensation now I take a deep breath OUT. The inclination is to breathe in but taking in more air can make you feel worse. Breathing out activates the calming response in the body and you feel loads better when you exhale. I also hold my breath until I can’t anymore, and it reminds me that my body will never forget to breathe. If you can hold your breath, it means you have breath to hold!
When you stop fearing this SENSATION, it will bother you less, I promise
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Do it afraid. All fear is but the notion that God's love ends. "When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy." Psalm 94:19