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    Anxiety and Depression Support
    19,454 members • 16,550 posts

    Continuing tightness of chest

    So it's probably all in my head but my chest has been tight. And I feel like I have to take deep breaths and when I do I feel like my brain is affected? I've had tightness of chest before but I don't know if I'm more stressed out about things that it goes away and comes back. Anyone get this? I get it one after another... it makes me think something is getting worse and it's super scary!!!!! I don't know what to do. I feel like every air is limited. =* or that something is very wrong.

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    Anxiety makes your muscles tense up even if you dont realize it. Of course the nature of anxiety makes you think it's something worse like a heart condition but it probably isn't. It feels like you cant breathe deep enough but you're actually ok and getting the air you need but the complicated stress response makes it feel like this. And what do you mean your brain feels affected? In my experience I've severely hyperventilated (because I too thought I wasn't getting enough air) and it makes me feel dizzy, my head tingles and I cant think straight so if you're referring to something of that sort it's because you're hyperventilating and getting too much oxygen and not enough carbon dioxide. I cant explain all the science behind it but I ended up in the ER for it and they told me it's too much oxygen. The breathing technique I use is called square breathing where you breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4 and repeat or another good one is in for 4, hold for 7, out for 8. Sorry for the lengthy response but I hope this helps!

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    Or maybe I'm just thinking something is wrong with my brain bc I feel like I'm not getting enough air. I don't have a headache or anything but almost like just a throb. But my shoulders, neck for sure feel so tight... I don't know why I feel like I need to take deep breaths though too. And release a huuuuuge sigh.

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    I would say it's probably hyperventilating then. My story in more detail is I hyperventilated so much during a panic attack one time I got that feeling in my head and eventually my eyes started twitching, then my entire face and then my hands seized up entirely and it was so painful. I couldnt talk because my face seized up and I was talking like someone who had a stroke (this along with all the other symptoms made me think I was having a stroke or a seizure hence why i went to the ER). The ER didn't do much but they had me do an electroencephalogram to rule out seizure where they read your brain waves and what not. During the test they had me hyperventilate to read my brain waves while I did it (which sucked). The results came back normal but they also explained to me how too much oxygen changed your ph level in your blood and actually changes your brain activity and told me its not harmful but you obviously shouldnt do it. Learning this made me feel a lot better and I also learned not to hyperventilate lol. I always thought hyperventilating was just taking really short fast breaths but even breathing too deeply too quickly is considered hyperventilating too.

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    I couldn't even tell you my visits to the ER. I was so confused at what was happening to me... I'm stressed out bc I need income to flow bc the bills never stop coming! I guess I'm hyperventilating but it's like when I do it goes away. Lately it's been worse. When I'm anxious I scratch my chest. And it hurts. Or I shake my leg. But my go to is chest for sure. I can't fucking relax, I'm in edge 24/7, thinking positive is so ancient to me etc. Even taking care of myself has been hard too. My bf is very understanding and he is my rock. But I do not wanna rely on him as my "safe zone"/ or my couch. What would help also if my med just wasn't enough are these cbt xtreme gummies. That seems to fully relax me if I don't decide to fight it. Sigh..... I know it's stupid to say this but I just wanna be normal again.

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    Yeah diffetent breathing works for different people as long as you dont exert yourself for too long. I always bounce my leg too because I just cant stay still lol. Lately I've been scratching my legs when I'm anxious, I used to scratch my legs like this back in high school and not really understand why I was doing it. I didnt struggle with anxiety in high school though so the fact that I'm scratching my legs feels like progress to me for some reason, like I've shifted I guess? And yeah the safe zone thing sucks, part of mindfulness meditation that I've learned is that you can convert your safe zone from a place to just a state of mind. It's really hard and takes a while to get the hang of it but I'm finally getting it and can usually breathe/meditate myself to settle down. I cant be completely calm but it does help. And do you mean CBD gummies?

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    No thank you for talking to me! I don't feel as alone when someone can truly relate...

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    Hello. Anxiety seems to have you in the chest, and maybe when you are attempting to take deep breaths to breathe, you are hyperventilating, causing your head to feel strange....please don't pass out.

    If you haven't had a doctor's physical in awhile, you may want to arrange for one to rule out anything medical that could cause this......angina, congestive heart issues, etc.

    I had anxiety pain nonstop in my chest for a very long time....finally resolved after therapy some meds and one of the nightmares changed. I had to be patient and deal with it the best I could until it resolved. We figured out what was fueling the anxiety (I'm PTSD), then it was figuring out how to "dismantle" it. My best wishes for your reduction in anxiety and pain.

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    Thank you so much. I've had a recent check up and I'm good. The only thing that was added was another bp med, and that I needed to drink more water. That's it. My chest doesn't hurt it just feels heavy = hyperventilate I'm assuming.

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    I also see thing differently. I've been seeing things differently I mean but it's become more now too. Like it's not real.

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    It sound like anxiety again. If you could find a yoga exercise online that would help you control your breathing. You might even find a breathing exercise online to relax you. Or, an exercise to relax your total body one part at a time.

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