Highly unusual breathing problem

Okay, the problem that I am having is very strange and, I daresay, quite unique. I’m worried that I am the only one with any issue even remotely comparable to this and, thus, cannot get any help for it.

A while ago I was having trouble sleeping at night due to stress of university exams and the like. However, while obsessing over this I came to focus on the act of breathing, and that is where the troubles began. Without anything else to divert my attention I became fixated on breathing, and had to voluntarily make myself take breaths and not simply let my body’s auto-regulatory functions do it. I couldn’t sleep that night.

The problem has worsened. I seem to need to consciously take every breath during the day. It’s not that I don’t believe my body can do it automatically, I know that if I can stop focusing on it then my body will naturally take over. The problem is I can’t, and when I am focusing on the act of breathing I must take every breath otherwise I will hold it.

I am finding it increasingly difficult to do everyday tasks. I’m also frequently feeling short of breath. I’m worried that doing this thing for so long may cause or have caused serious damage so that I might never be able go back to having my body naturally breathe again. I experienced this problem some time ago and it passed, now I am depressed that a problem which I thought I had overcome has returned.

Please Help.

this happens to me at times as a swimmer __ weird as ###$!...another even weirder thing is how long I can hold my breath for...but as a schizoid my body does-

Hi Breather.

You say that you are concentrating on the breathing so much, that you are now doing that sort of breathing without even realizing it?

What are you thinking about prior to that?
Are you worried that your breathing will stop if you don't breathe normal?

Alot of people who suffer from anxiety, me as well get shortness of breath constantly while under stress or anxiety ridden.

When that occurs I always have to remind myself that even though my breathing is shallow I am breathing and that is ok... Just take a deep breath in and exhale... I have to do self-talk as well when I am having problems breathing.

Also if you feel that you chest is tightening up, and that is causing you breathing problems, pull back your shoulder blades when you breathe, that will open up your ribs, and make it easier.

Hope this helps.

Take care.

You say that you are concentrating on the breathing so much, that you are now doing that sort of breathing without even realizing it?

Not exactly. I think I am obsessing over the act of breathing so much that I cannot move my awareness away from it, as that will stop me from breathing. The only way I can stop being aware of my breathing is for something else to distract me, which of course isnt easy when I am always worried about this problem!

Are you worried that your breathing will stop if you don't breathe normal?

No, not at all. Perhaps I am going crazy but I am certain that there is nothing physically wrong with me.


Thankyou for your kind words.

Hey Breather,

I can relate to what you are saying; I have had problems that sound similar to what you have mentioned.

All my life I have found myself to tired easily and feel short of breath upon doing even the slightest physical exertion. I have had all kinds of testing to find that my heart, lungs, and other organs function phenomenally.

I once complained to my dcotor that I feel like I have to regulate my breathing. I explained that it feels like I am not oxygenating properly; especially upon physical exertion. I then went on to realize that I have extreme difficulty with breathing through my nose.

I found out that I am very sensitive to environmental allergens, and that they clog my airways severely. It has become so severe that I feel like I have to mouth breathe a lot.

By the way, when I told my doctor about feeling the need to facilitate my own breathing she immediately told me that I may have GAD and prescribed me Paxil. I think that this was the worst day of my life. I have come to the conclusion today that I do have anxiety (as well as social) but medications do not help.

I also found out that I have central sleep apnea, where your brain forgets to tell your body to breathe while you are asleep. This results in not breathing many times a night while asleep and not getting sufficient sleep.

So my theory with all this is that if my brain fails to regulate my breathing while I am asleep, then I don't have any doubt that it can have difficulty in doing so while I am awake.

It's funny that my doctors have tried to tell me that breathing is an autonomous function of the human body; this obviously is not true if central sleep apnea can exist with no other underlying problems.

Anyway, I am a very frustrated individual; sorry if I ended up typing up an essay, but I felt the need to respond to you since I feel that we are similar with our 'breathing issues'.

oh. my. god.

Ok... 2005. That's a while ago ain't it. Well I'll take a chance that maybe the website will notify you by email that you received a new post. Wish i had your email.

So.. After years of checking out internet periodically, i've actually found someone with this. I never thought i'd see this day.

Ah i see that your situation is a little different from mine. You don't mention stomach pains or things like that.

well here's a post i created a few months ago

http://www.healthpost.ca/forums/disease ... #post14153

It's been 6 years for you so maybe you've gotten over it, seeing as you already did once. I don't seem to be able to. I'm taking a chance here that maybe you get back to me saying you found some kind of cure.

By the way in my post i mention that it's a night problem but it has once been throughout the whole day like you. It still does happen quite a few times in the day but it's much better than before. Still..

So.. Please reply if you get this.
thanks

Everything that you have stated here is really my problem too. I'm getting that problem now and its been months already. I'm planning to visit a doctor. Have any found a technique to get rid of this? I think the goal is not letting our mind think about it because if it happens then it will just reconnect everything. My strategy I'll let myself busy then without knowing it just never happen. Right now I'm having hard sleep.

It's 3AM I've been up researching what is wong with me... although I hate to admit anything be wrong at all of course who does. I woke up almost in a gasp wondering have I even been breathing? Let's face it my anxiety began a long time ago, but now it has become..... something I have to face, a wall, an impairment, a disability. Ugh I hate that word. I guess the problems become impairing about a month and half ago or so. I'm worried (another worry of course!) I might loose my job because of all of this. I had to leave work one day because I thought I was dying / and I thought I couldn't breathe. I just had to get ot of there, and I'm actually using my vacation days right now to I guess figure this all out. I didn't until just now.. not just this site but several I have across. I've come to face the fact that i have a.... severe anxiety disorder. I have most if not all of the symptoms, but breathing has been.... a top one. It's more than a shortness of air, its so much more. I find myself pacing back and forth the room wondering if I should tell someone, thinking his is it, thinking okay this is really serious and then just wanting it to go away... I can't breathe. I'm not breathing, I am struggling. I put my hand in front of my nose/mouth to feel air coming out. And somtimes I'm actually surprised that I feel the air blowing on my hand, because in my head it feels lik there is nothing coming out. Then I hope, hope I will take another breath. I have to focus on breathing in and breathing out, thinking about the process of doing it. The mind though is such a powerfull being. I guess it starts with a shortness of breath then to a dramatazation of not being able to breath like my body forgot how, then the process of focusing on it thinking about it to know that i am. On top of this I have dealt with extreame chest pains that can last for hours and hours to where I'm bending over holding my chest thnking which maks me feel my heart will fail. I've come to "self-medicate" in the way of drinking because it does calm me down and once I've had enough my problems and worries are gone at least for that time. But sometimes it's so bad even though I know it is temporary that just feeling normal for that time is good and I want it to last. I've also had something going on with my ear... popping, cracking, a "full" feeling, not sue what but sometimes I focus on that which then gives me more anxiety and effects my breathing and it all starts over again. This is horrible. I will beat this, and not by being on medication the rest of my life. Because life is to beautifull to waste away in these feelings. I think all of these symptons and more I have not mentioned are all in my head, and by taking control of my mind I will figure this out. I am determined to. I'm saddened that the world has become to take such a tole on so many and I know I am not the only one now. But really how much can one person take until they come to their breaking point? I think God will only give me as much as I can handle, but maye this is a way of saying what your doing is not good go another direction. Like I said I've always had minor symtoms but not until recently has anxiety disorder effected my everyday life, and happiness in this world. I can't immagine some of the people I have read about who suffer everday for years like this. I would want to crawl in a hole and hide from life. That is the easy way out, but somestimes may fee like it is the only way out and the ony way to survive and i get that too. I don't know what the answer to all of this, the answer is diffrent for everyone of us whom have come to this point in life. One aspect that I think is the same for all of us is that although the anxiety is real, our symptoms are not. We can breathe we are doing it now as I write this message. I know that we all have to figure out a way to manage the stresses in our life that are present to make this go away. Take things with a grain of salt, and remember that mountain we are climbing is just a grain of sand. The happiest time in my life was a time where I didn't worry about the past, present or the future and I want to get to that again... and perhaps this is the key to all of this. And it maks perfect sense if you worry enough, freak yourself out enough your body will react and go in to that fight mode/survival mode. I wish all the best for everyone going throuh this. Just stop, meditate, and tell yourself that everything is going to be okay and it will be.

I wish you the best in managing your anxiety. As you mentioned in your post meditation can be very helpful. I know you said you didn't want to be on medication so If this is becoming enough of a problem to you perhaps you could see at least see a therapist to teach you some other techniques to manage your anxiety and stop it before it gets to the point where you have to do something drastic like leave work and use up all your vacation time.

Hi, just became a member after reading other peoples similar problems with breathing. My first awareness of anxiety started with my first panic attack a few years ago even though i did not know at the time what it was. Then one day i watched a horror image on a TV show and started having paranoid thoughts of sharp objects. Thankfully, the panic attacks and paranoia has seems to stay away for now, however, my breathing started to change. With research and my finding out my father has a panic attack condition i thought this breathing problem must be a genetic condition. Through the stress of a relationship and a job that involves chasing the clock everyday something has been triggered. I have decided to stop being a perfectionist at work and to slow down even if it is in my own time. I have hardened up with my relationship instead of sitting around becoming anxious. So far i have found Blackmores P.P.M.P duo celloids have worked well and with yoga nostril breathing (Anulom Vilom). I suggest people with anxiety disorders give these two options a go, because they have helped me alot. The duo celloids were perscribed by a naturopath for stress.