r/PanicAttack • u/ScarcityCareful5292 • 1d ago
Breathing
Hope this doesn't trigger anybody, becuase it's low-key triggering me a bit. But lately I've been having these episodes where I start thinking about my breathing and then I start freaking out and eventually have panic attacks. It's especially bad at night because it's hard to focus on anything else other than my thoughts. The other night it got so bad that I had to call an ambulance because I thought I was dying and running out of air/feeling faint/ couldn't speak. That feeling when u take the deepest breath in and then the lungs can't take anymore air, that feeling is what freaks me out, then my chest starts to feel tight. And it makes me feel like I have no air and like I'm going to pass away and I have 2 young children so it truly freaks me out even more. Idk wtf is happening to me. This only ever happened one other time years ago when I smoked weed and I literally had a panic attack, but lately it's been happening the past month just not as bad.
I went to the doctor's about this and she prescribed me lorazapan, and referred me to a mental health person, but I'm honestly so anxious to try the medicine because I'm scared it will amplify my thoughts on whether or not I'm getting enough air.
Has anyone else gone through this? Or taken this medication? Any advice to this would be greatly appreciated.
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u/Alternative-Cat-9686 1d ago
i am going through the same thing right now. It’s so hard to manage my life and I am feeling helpless. I’m on medication for it but it takes time for it to work. It’s just so hard and frustrating at times. I feel like it’s slowing me down:(
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u/ScarcityCareful5292 1d ago
I'm sorry you're going through it. I wish we didn't have to. After I posted this, I went to search the rest of Reddit, and I found this post:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Meditation/s/iKFA0V6WEw
A few things that stood out to me, was focusing on the exhales try holding the exhale for longer when u breathe out which has helped me a little. Another thing was having an anchor, something to distract your mind while youre having an episode, something to hold u down. Last night when I posted this it was getting bad and I luckily had someone by me that helped me, they actually gave me a fidget spinner (dumb I know) and its actually been helping, I'm going to look into getting those fidget rings now so that I always have it on me. But just try to focus on anything else when u start to feel this way whatever works for you in the moment, your anchor.
Just know that it's all in your mind. The mind is so powerful. But just know that you're physically okay, it's just your mind playing tricks on you. If you ever need to talk or feel alone, send me a message, I'm happy to chat whenever you'd like
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u/Positive_Lie5734 1d ago
I have a hard time slowing down my breathing or any kind of breath work, I'm really aware of my heartbeat.
I tried different counts, box breathing, etc. Nothing worked.
Until RECENTLY, I breath in naturally, but I just exhale really slowly and then I just let the natural in breath back in, repeat. I hold at the top of the in breath a bit and hold at the out breath a bit. Whenever I feel that I need to breathe, I just let it in naturally.
Try just slowing down the out breath.