Can't breathe

[whiteraven]

Having that tightness-in-the-chest, can't-breathe thing that I always get with anxiety. Have to take very deep breaths or yawn in order to get enough air.

No idea why. The first time I remember getting this was when I was about 5. My father yelled at me for "breathing like that."

I'm sad and anxious. No idea why. :-(

 

[Starfish]

i "get" the not being able to breathe thing It is the top of my list of Ways to Cope daily, "Breather Deeply all Day", so i try to remember.

Apparently, the story goes, when I was 2, I held my breath, turned blue, passed out on a regular basis. That is what was required for me to get attention from "the mother".
On my next well check-up, she mentioned this to the doc( I am sure she hated these interruptions but she had to deal with a child who was not breathing. He suggested next time i do this behavior, just walk away. She did and laughingly she told the story that it worked, I never pulled that manipulatory stunt again.
My siblings and I all laughed at the story. Especially me as she very rarely told stories about her children. So I got to be in the limelight when she told this memory probably once or twice.

Now that I am 64, diagnosed with cptsd, I realize why I did that and think how desperate I must have been for any sort of attention from my mother. I wonder what happened inside me when she followed the docs suggestion and walked away. That must have been a revealing day for me.

And that, I believe, was the beginning of a life-long pattern of holding my breath, Very hard habit to break for me.

 

[James McGregor]

Having that tightness-in-the-chest, can't-breathe thing that I always get with anxiety. Have to tak...

Oh yeah I get that often, also feel like I can swallow or there's a huge obstruction in my chest, don't know if you get that too? Very common from what I understand but awful too

 

[Starfish]

I guess I am fortunate as I do not experience that. So sorry that you do!

 

[Deleted member 28403]

I get the same thing, either that or hyperventilation. Comes with anxiety, depending on severity

For me holding my breath helps. E.g. Holding my breath for 15 seconds and then I can breathe a bit better

Sometimes have to do it multiple times

 

[Starfish]

Holding my breath for 15 seconds and then I can breathe a bit bette

that works for me too, thanks for reminding me!

 

[anonymous]

also maybe see if you have low iron levels? that could be contributing to the breathlessness. I know the feeling though, my iron is ok now and it still happens when I'm in busy places. it started when I was waiting on a bus a while ago, it continued for about 25 minutes even when the bus arrived. I sat and counted in my head like this 1 ... 49 ....2 ....48 .....3 ....47.. so counting up from 1 and down from 49 until I finally reached the numbers in the middle, it helped after a bit, because I was keeping my mind on a task I had to really concentrate on in my head. sometimes I wonder if I need an ambulance because the breathing feels sof*cked up :( makes me feel crazy too, like I feel I want to shout 'stop!' when it happens, lol. all I end up doing isfeeling really frustrated with it, I hate it.

 

[Rose White]

There are people who do special breath techniques for health. Maybe focusing that way could open something up? Google “holotropic breathwork” and “Stan Grof”.

 

[whiteraven]

i "get" the not being able to breathe thing It is the top of my list of Ways to Cope daily, "Breather D...

Wow, I'm really sorry about that, @crushed. I don't know of any particular reason for mine, only that it is a manifestation of anxiety. I used to get it all day every day - esp. when I was in nursing school - but now it only happens when I am *really* anxious.

 

[whiteraven]

Oh yeah I get that often, also feel like I can swallow or there's a huge obstruction in my chest...

Yes, sometimes I get that, too, although I usually get pain instead of the feeling of an obstruction.

 

[whiteraven]

I get the same thing, either that or hyperventilation. Comes with anxiety, depending on severity

For m...

Oh, I had forgotten about this! It's a very helpful technique to alleviate this. Thank you!

 

[Deleted member 28403]

Oh, I had forgotten about this! It's a very helpful technique to alleviate this. Thank you!

Glad to be of help :)

that works for me too, thanks for reminding me!

Glad to be of use