I hate this anxiety symptom! When it comes frequently, as it has this week, it worries me. Now, I'm a person who has been truly short of breath from a serious illness (pulmonary embolism) and I can tell you that when I was "short of breath" with that, it was a much more dramatic feeling, I couldn't walk around much, etc. Still, though, with the shortness of breath I've experienced lately I've thought "Well, perhaps something is wrong that the doctors have missed all these years!" I know that is a common thought amongst us anxious people. I try to take slow, deep breaths, relax, and I'm taking my medication (which I think may need adjusting AGAIN, either that or MORE psychotherapy--I've only had like 10 years worth!). I guess I'll mention it to my doc at next Thursday's appt. (follow up on some blood tests for "real" health problems!) to either get some reassurance or have some more tests (hopefully not---those can be a downward spiral in themselves, but I guess that's another topic!). Anyone else struggling with this symptom and how do you deal? On another note, hope everyone has a great weekend, TGIF!
About a two years ago, this was my first, and triggering symptom of anxiety. I was lying in bed one night, and I had eaten a huge bowl of popcorn earlier that night. I was laying there and suddenly I felt short of breath. I knew that after eating a lot Id feel stuffed and everything, so I went to the bathroom to try and clear my nose if it wasn't because of bloating. It didnt work. I panicked. I went downstairs and watched tv to try and get that feeling to pass but then I suddenly got extremely weak . I went to sleep in fear. For about four months, I looked up health problems related to it and it made me worry more. My mind started to drift away from those terrible thoughts. I was finally okay, and then in January of 05, it hit me again. Hard. I went to three pulminary doctors and they all said I was fine. I felt like I was dying and like I seriously couldnt breathe. One thing I noticed was the urge to regulate my own breathing. I couldn't sleep for quite sometime because when I felt myself dose off Id jolt because I thought I wasn't breathing. It went away for an entire year, maybe a little more. Then it came back just recently, but in small doses because I've...in a way...learned to control it. I noticed that yawning seems to give me a feeling of "fresh air in the lungs". This is a common symptom anxiety from what I've read and been told. This also triggers other terrifying thoughts and feeling of worry. In your case, Im going to guess that it's all in your head, because in a way you are most likely expecting something to be wrong, therefore creating the symptom. Youll be fine, hang in there. Also, theres a method called 7/11 breathing where you breath into a paper bag and almost 90% of the time will keep you relaxed. I cannot remember what the way to do it is, so google it and you should get good results.
