Trouble taking a deep breath

[Warrior Chicken]

Yes…..that’s it. Holding the breath, but you may not actually realize the holding part. At least, that’s how it seems for me. The breath feels stuck, it is…cuz not enough is coming in. With concentrated out breaths the whole system naturally starts to calm and breathing gets a bit easier.

If you can catch it, you can improve it. Sometimes it may be that your system got so hijacked you may not notice right away.

 

[whiteraven]

Holding the breath

I do have times when I do this, but this isn't one of them. I've been having this issue for decades, and I've been paying attention to when it happens for probably 20. Not overly so, but noticing and trying to understand the trigger.

 

[Freddyt]

That's one of the big changes that has happened since I started therapy. I used to have a ton of problems with my back. To the point I couldn't bend down to pick things up or put on my socks. Back spasms, sore chest and oblique muscles, neck sore and tight all the time, trouble breathing, and more,

Turns out a lot of it was in my head. So much better now. Now when I feel my neck start to tighten up I know something is stressing me. I sure hope you find the same from your therapy.

 

[Geopolis]

My wife is currently dealing with this as pushes through her anxiety. We've discovered that the term used to describe it is "air hunger." I watch her all day long attempt to yawn and take deep breaths which causes her to have other symptoms because that's not how humans normally breathe. Oxygen levels are thrown off which causes numbness that then triggers the response of more heavy breathing and so on. I feel incredibly sad for her... its been about a week straight.

We are reading "The Anxious Truth" by Drew Linsalata together and she's practicing daily belly breathing techniques to counteract.

I hope you have found some relief. I cannot imagine going through it myself

 

[CPLWeeks]

When I recognize anxiety setting in, I stop what I'm doing, I inhale, and then I say aloud:
"Anxiety, is a physiological response to emotional stress.".
Then I inhale again, and I repeat this like a mantra.
I try to say it as slowly as I can. I've found that it has the combined affect of cognitively reminding me that I'm safe, and unconsciously slowing my breathing. Give it a try.