Shortness of Breath 24/7. Feels like I'm going to Suffocate!

Posted , 3 users are following.

My shortness of breath began since last year July. It started out infrequently, occurring only maybe once or twice every week for like 2 months with a few days where I could breathe normally. And then after those few days of calm, normal breathing,it all goes to hell, and I end up finding it hard to breath normally and my mind spends 60% of the day focused on my breathing. The only time I manage to not focus on my breathing and momentarily 'forget' about it and seem to breath normally, is when I'm busy doing my work or watching tv. 

It's been like this for the past six months and worsened when I decided to start to work in a company for the first time. (1st time working) When I started working, for the first 2-3 weeks, I kept experiencing times where I feel like I couldn't breath properly and start panicking( like maybe 5 times a day). This caused me to use my mouth to breath instead of my nose to attempt to breath comfortable. I usually manage to calm myself down though I am left shaken, exhausted and anxious.

The next 3 weeks the frequency of these shortness of breath attacks lessened and I am able to better handle the situation when it does attack.(I can calm myself down and carry on with my work without it escalating). 

But now it's getting worse again. I keep thinking that perhaps there is something wrong with my body. That maybe I'm sick with something that is just hard to identify. So every time I feel the shortness of breath creeping up on me I immediately think about how this could actually be a physical illness and how I'm going to stop breathing etc.

Now it's back to being worse. I constantly get this shortness of breath attacks at work and today it got really bad I just called someone to pick me up from work.

I keep going back an forth between the thought " this is all just the side effect of anxiety and nothing is actually wrong with your body even though it feels like there is." and the thought

" yup, something is physically wrong with your body that you just don't know about and you are going to suffocate".

Now it has become a habit to breathe through my mouth when I feel like I can't get enough air. Breathing through my nostrils do not feel enough.

This is becoming very unbearable. What do you suggest I should do? I really, really need some advice and help on this. 

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • Posted

    im 22. I'm aslo going through the same thing and it's been a year now.

    I've done ecg test which came normal.

    this shortness of breath comes and goes but i face this daily. i tried breathing exercises nothing work. sad

  • Posted

    Hi

    Breathing thing right up there with anxiety particularly the lingering part.. Images overblown..remind yourself this time to time. Just uncomfortable because fear latched onto this. As long you stressing..it keep going. Had up downs, constantly. Some outside mind associated for me. Only one thing to help is distraction on this..Puzzles that take full focus.. Talk to friends.

    Grow vegs pot? Not awkwardly feeling or insecurities etc that serve to heighten anxeity sensation ever more. I do puzzles and glue them to hang. Find yoursrlf little fun project is my advice. The more fun the more we forget. Do small wee projects victory a day or few days. Set goals something worthwhile! DIY? Use creative! X

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