Just curious if anyone shares this behavior: I will be breathing perfectly fine until I begin to think about my breathing. Once I start to think about my breathing I feel as if I am not getting enough air. I will try to take a deep inhale in so that I receive that satisfying breath (the one that completely fills your lungs) and I won't be able to get it. Then I start to worry that I have a breathing problem. It sounds ridiculous but when it's happening it is very uncomfortable. Does this happen to anyone else?

This is from a little article I wrote on www.divinecaroline.com

Hey everybody,

Please note that I am not a doctor so the below information is simply my own advice. Also, do not take any of what I wrote and publish it as yours.

I know for a fact that there are people out there who have problems with anxiety. Let me guess, one of your symptoms aside from feeling constant fear is that you can’t get a full breath of air when you would like. Here are my thoughts on why exactly this is happening. First of all, I heard it best described by Jon from anxietycalm.com when he said that it’s because we are constantly constricting our bodies. Our chests muscles are tight. Ok so there’s that. Now add on all the years of anxiety provoking thoughts we have had. Then sprinkle that with the fear we have experienced from our symptoms of anxiety. Because our chest areas are tight we assume we are having a heart attack/have a constricted heart or that our throat is closing, you name it. I am sure many of you have come up with other ailments but let’s just stick to those so not to produce any more anxiety. THEN, you begin to focus on your breathing because you are so fearful that you will suffocate. This is very fun stuff; really it makes life quite enjoyable (absolute sarcasm). I look at people on the street and think, “You are so lucky you can breath normal!”

Okay, so yesterday I was moving my brother and his girlfriend into their new apartment. I was distracted and my breathing problem went away, but I will get back to that. I will call my brother’s girlfriend Sara so to conceal her identity. I was telling Sara about my issues with anxiety and guess what, she has experienced the breathing problem too! She has the exact same symptoms and thoughts. So the good news is we are not alone. I bet there are more people than we think who experience this.

Please know that this annoying breathing problem can go away. You might think, “I am going to have this obsessive fear of not being able to breath for the rest of my life.” Not true. I have been experiencing these symptoms for three days now and yesterday afternoon until 8:00 p.m. I was okay.

Also, I have to add something that I found helpful. About two days ago I called my dad because I was convinced I was suffocating. He explained to me that our bodies breathe naturally and when we add conscious thoughts about breathing it messes it all up. Breathing is a gift that we are given.

I swear after I am done healing from this I will never again take breathing for granted.

Also, I notice when I sleep I am totally ok! I don’t suffocate in my sleep. It’s because my mind is turned off and my body is breathing naturally for me. If only we could turn off our minds. This is proof that our thoughts are screwing with our breathing. We can change our thoughts.

Okay, so what to do:

Well I am still in the healing process but here are some very helpful tips I have learned through trial and error and from info I got online.

1. Know you are not going to die.

2. Take three breaths in and purposefully, yes I said it, purposefully exhale for five breaths. When we are scared that we can’t get enough air we continually try to get that one big satisfying breath and by doing so we too frequently inhale oxygen. Inhaling too much oxygen stimulates the body and will more likely cause the flight or fight response (panicky symptoms). Even if this feels uncomfortable stick with it. Push through the fear when exhaling. Trust me, all you are going to want to do is try to get that one great yawn/influx of oxygen but be strong and do not do it. When you quit trying so hard your breathing begins to naturally readjust itself. Also do not get pissed when you do think it’s the right time to inhale and you don’t get that satisfying inhale when you breath in (you know the one that goes straight to the brain). Go right back to the inhaling for three exhaling for five and be strong.

It’s interesting because I once felt my heart rate when I inhaled and noticed that it goes much faster compared to when I exhale so the logic of exhaling longer to calm our bodies and to readjust our breathing makes sense.

3. Distraction is also key. It’s tough because our minds have been focused on breathing but if there is anything you can do to distract yourself try it. Maybe even go for a run, play an online game of text twist, call a friend, do something.

4. Do not get discouraged and do not feel like a victim. This will not help. Consider this process like a large tuning fork. We got a little out of whack and now we are just tuning ourselves back into our naturally state of being.

5. Share what you have learned. It helps distract yourself. Maybe a way to heal anxiety is by sharing our stories and simply being there for one another. I know many people are going through this and some have probably thrown their arms up in despair. Love yourself, tell yourself you love yourself. Anxiety in my mind, is a clear manifestation of all the negativity in our lives, of people telling us we are not good enough, of feeling bad about things, the list goes on. We need to begin to trust in the flow of life. In Louise Hay’s book, You Can Heal Your Life she says that anxiety is caused by us not trusting in the flow and the process of life. Breathing is a process of life and we are not trusting in it. A positive affirmation she gives to help heal us is to say, “I love and approve of myself and I trust the process of life. I am safe.”

I wish you all the best. This is not an easy journey so when you get discouraged know that I too have been there. I have cried on the toilet, in the shower, in my kitchen you name it. But tears will not heal you, they might help get your frustration out, but it’s up to your own self-love and perseverance to get through this anxiety.

Let’s heal this world together.

Peace,

Caroline

One more bit of advice. Instead of trying to get that huge inhale pretend like someone important is speaking and you have to yawn but don't want to be rude so that this person notices. Therefore, you take a little yawn inconspicuously. Your lips are almost closed shut. This gives you that satisfying feeling without taking in so much oxygen. This will also produce that satisfying feeling so that you won't be as inclined to get your next huge gulp of air.