Extreme breathing problems due to anxiety

Post Reply New Topic

I'm diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, which I guess I've suffered from since the age of ten or so.

Basically, the perpetual worry and anticipation of disaster are perfectly tolerable; I've got used to them over the years. One symptom that tortures me however, is the constant shortness of breath I feel as a result of the problem.

I first started experiencing this symptom in my mid teens, I think. At first, I believed it was late-onset asthma, or something like that, but I've spoken to countless doctors over the years, and they all say it's psychological.

In short, I find that I have to gasp for breath every couple of seconds for potentially hours at a time. It gets significantly worse when I'm conscious of it, which is part of the reason it must obviously be psychosomatic. I find that when in conversation with others, or deeply absorbed in study, it goes away entirely.

A psychologist evaluated the symptoms as being indicative of a panic attack. This surely cannot be true, however, for if it were, I'd literally be having a panic attack twelve hours a day, seven days a week (I don't know whether I experience anything similar in my sleep, for obvious reasons).

It's literal torture, and has got progressively worse since it first appeared. It gets me dirty looks in public and means, for example, that I have to leave coffee shops in the middle of drinking.

I wonder if anybody else has ever experienced these symptoms, or knows anybody who has. I'd love, more than anything else, to rid myself of this problem, but nothing works. My psychologist was a waste of space and I'm glad to be rid of her. None of them have been able to suggest anything useful.

The problem is usually accompanied by extreme facial twitching, shaking and often tingling in my extremities. I find that I can't think or work efficiently through it. I know these are all also symptoms of anxiety, but I've never met anybody else with anxiety who experiences these symptoms - or at least not to anything near this degree of severity.

Ever try breathing into a paper bag?

Believe you are hyperventilating.

I have PTSD, GAD and chronic hyperventilation. Mostly do it in my sleep, so I often wake up in panic, sweating and gasping for air. Other people do it unconsciously throughout the day, systematically breathing not enough air, which creates problems like brain fog, fatigue and so on.

What you describe sounds like this, but you make it worse by (hyper)focusing on it, which is not your fault, just the way you are. I went to a speech therapist, and she thought me how to breath better and control it better. Meditation also helped. Was incredibly hard though in the first month or so.

Even if your problems are psychosomatic, that doesn't mean they shouldn't be treated like a real condition.

Good luck! It is really tough. Especially when people don't take it seriously.

I would suggest taking a number of slow, deep breaths, but you've probably tried that already. You are making the problem worse by focusing on it. When you are focused on other things, the problem goes away. I suggest using games on a smart phone or tablet PC, or reading a book, or watching TV to distract yourself when the problem occurs. Also, keep reminding yourself that whatever worries start the problem are probably not going to happen, so you are probably worrying needlessly. Just remember--distract yourself when the problem occurs!

Have you tried any benzodiazepines I'm asking because if the problem is really due to a panic attack, it should be at least alittle better when your on a decent dose of a benzo. Benzos aren't meant to be taken regularly long-term thou but you could take them for occasional use in addition to other treatments. I would suggest trying the med Buspar because Buspar is specially for GAD & meant to be taken regularly long-term. It helped my anxiety alot.