I Hate This Symptom!

[sun seeker]

Thanks @Muse! You're right, that fits perfectly.

The pressure on the chest is a feeling that for me goes with the emotion of not taking action, not feeling like taking action would help; action would make it worse, so you feel compressed in dread.

Yes. Exactly.

It also comes with the feeling of being trapped. The first time it got really bad I was in the back seat of a car with someone sitting in the front blocking the door, and started panicking realizing I couldn't get out. I'm feeling pretty seriously trapped in my life right now.

What this has to do with my dad... well, maybe it'll come to me.

I just know that either way, you are not actually in any physical risk of asphyxiation from anxiety induced shortness of breath.

I'm truly not worried about that. I just want it to stop.

I'll experiment with the music, but mostly it's quiet that seems to help.

Thanks again everyone!

 

[Chava]

I've had breathing trauma that involved suffocation and having to be hooked up to oxygen for a long time. But even with that I don't know that it's the "cause" of some of my breathing stuff now. It's actually a lot better. But could have been a general panic symptom (or general panic that morphs a bit into this other stuff since the feeling of giving myself oxygen helps me calm down). The exhaling, sometimes blowing a little stream of air like I'm blowing bubbles, slow breathing helps if I can find a way to do it without feeling more anxious.

I also found muscle relaxants helped sometimes because I was having spasms in the muscles around my trunk and throat, which makes me feel like I can't get a good breath.

Over the last few years, my anxiety and panic has changed, so it can be confusing. I'd say it's less or better in general (especially panic symptoms), but sometimes I have a new symptom or sensation that makes it confusing. I'm trying to just tolerate and respond....sometimes it's not to difficult, other times I want to run away from my body.

 

[Justmehere]

It also comes with the feeling of being trapped. The first time it got really bad I was in the back seat of a car with someone sitting in the front blocking the door, and started panicking realizing I couldn't get out. I'm feeling pretty seriously trapped in my life right now.

What this has to do with my dad... well, maybe it'll come to me.

Did he ever make you feel trapped?

As kids, we are kind of trapped, stuck, dependent, unable to fully escape on our parents. Metaphorically, and often literally, they are in the drivers seat of our lives as kids.

 

[Powder]

Great posts here above. Not my thread to say thanks on, but kuddos.