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Breathing techniques

Posted , 5 users are following.

tinytitch22
tinytitch22

Hi

I've been diagnosed as having anxiety for the past 6months and since May I've been prescribed fluoxetin (which I haven't taken).

I've been signed off work and today I returned. However since I woke up I've felt like I've been unable to take deep breathes and exhales.

Has anyone else had this? If so, how have you dealt with it?

I'm really scared x

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • scorpio1
    scorpio1 tinytitch22

    Posted

    Yes after my panic attack 3 weeks ago I couldn't breaths right its like half my breath got taken away its from anxiety I know its hard but just take a cool towel or cloth warm if u want and put it on your head neck and chest it will help calm u down breathe slowly if u can breathe in deep hold your breath for 5 seconds then exhale that works for me and I hope it works for u 
  • gerard11258
    gerard11258 tinytitch22

    Posted

    Hi tinytitch, I also had difficulty breathing with panic attacks and anxiety. My problem was mainly "air hunger" where it seems inpossible to take in a satisfying breath of air. You can still breath and your body is oxygenated but you just can't seem to beath of yawn deeply enough to feel satisfied. My doctor told me that this is caused by a reduction on carbon dioxide and relatively too much oxygen. Seems we don't breath deeply enough when were anxious. Find a good size paper bag and deeply breath into this making sure to breath back in the breath you exhaled. Do this for 20 or so seconds. What this does is cause you to take back in some of the CO2 that you've breathed out thus building up your blood carbon dioxide levels and "normalising" the degree of saturation. Hope this helps.
    • tinytitch22
      tinytitch22 gerard11258

      Posted

      Hi Gerald

      This sounds exactly how I feel but you explained it so much better smile

      The amount of times I panic thinking if I can't exhale properly something is going to happen.

      (My friends and family say I'm a hypocontriac and I've been diagnosed with health anxiety).

      I will get a paper bag and practice that technique.

      If it does work I will be forever grateful as I hate feeling like this.

  • amy38525
    amy38525 tinytitch22

    Posted

    I used to struggle with this also. I found that where I was so anxious all the time I ended up just chest breathing all the time. Try putting one hand on your tummy then the other on your chest and just use your tummy to breathe. I also find that yawning helps when I struggle to breathe properly. Good luck! In through the nose out through the mouth x
  • saltlife1117
    saltlife1117 tinytitch22

    Posted

    Hi Tinytitch, your okay first of all. Here's a great way to stop that..center your hand on your stomach. feel how your breathing from the top of your chest.

    take a breath and hold it..count to 8 or 10 then release your breath. Do this 3 or 4 times or until you feel the panic pass. your just breathing shallow and your making it worse by focusing on the breaths. Hope this helps. Also you can put on a FAV song and sing!!! Singing makes you breath normally strange I know but it works because you get your mind off the breathing and when you sing SING OUT LOUD!

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