Cant breathe properly

[Lyns1411]

Anyone awake to talk? I feel like i cant breathe properly and feels like im just gonna die 😥

[WendyKathleen]

Why is the matter?

[Lyns1411 in reply to WendyKathleen]

I dont know its just come on all of a sudden. Tight chest, tight throat can hardly swallow and cant catch my breath properly 😥

[Hidden in reply to Lyns1411]

Lyns, these are common symptoms of anxiety. I want you to attempt to relax by sitting still, telling the anxious thoughts to sit aside (I know this is hard), and close your eyes and breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. If you're hyperventilating, do your best to steady it. As you breathe find one specific feeling about the breathing....is it your nose, the lungs filling, your stomach rising, or nostrils taking in air? Pick one and make that your one and only thought. We will tell anxiety and its thoughts to take a break...and come back later. We don't have time for it right now. Breathe in, hold slightly, and out...holding slightly. Repeat this over and over while you focus only on the feeling of the breath. If your mind wanders off...maybe dinner plans tomorrow or whatever...that's okay. We acknowledge it and move back to the original one and only thought. The more your mind wanders, you are working on rewiring your mind to focus. It may do this hundreds of times while you breathe in and out.

As for the swallowing, this is the globus sensation. It makes us feel like we have a lump in our throats....swallowing or breathing can feel difficult. It is a normal stress response, so clear up the stress. It may hang around after the fact, but it's globus....kinda feels like you swallowed a tennis ball. One thing I like to do to reduce stress is from a mindfulness session I listen to. Again, we breathe like above, but we're going to do stress exercises. First, you will squeeze your face muscles (like a bitter beer face) and hold for a few seconds....all while you focus on the breath. Do this three times. Each time you release the squeeze or tension....focus on the feeling of the stress melting away, leaving your body. Feel the nervous energy taking off. Next, raise your shoulders inwards to your head like you're aiming them for your ears. Squeeze them real good. Again, three times and thinking about all of this tension flowing out and away. Next, you'll make a fist (three times per hand) and squeeze inward so your forearm stretches. Finally, curl your toes backward or inward to squeeze your front calf muscles....again...three times on each foot...and we breathe while identifying the tension dismissing itself. This is one of many exercises you can try, but I like it. During this time, you can also try things like aromatherapy or other pleasant things that might help you feel relaxed. Maybe a freshly brewed relaxing tea at hand. Lots of water, too!

If you're breathing feels like it's hitting a wall, your face or lips are turning bluish, please call for ambulance. I doubt this will be the case, but I don't know if you're asthmatic, have COPD, or so on. If you have emergency response anxiety medicine (typically benzos), you may opt to use it during this time to help your mind ease. The above might be enough to get rid of it though. Give this a try and please feel better. I know it's scary, uncomfortable, and awful, but it can and will go away. If you know it's anxiety/panic, know that it will pass. Believe in that and be kind to yourself while dealing with it. It's easy to be hard on ourselves....especially while we cope. If you do not fight the anxiety/panic and allow it to come and go, it will come on and peak...and disappear. Our fight/struggle to stop it is, in my opinion, what makes it horrible. No one wants it, but this is your body reacting to something...a stress or otherwise...and it's kicking in the panic mode in an instinctual manner to keep you safe despite the fact that it feels absolutely the other way around. Please feel better and let me/us know if there's anything we can do to help you come out of this if you haven't already. Feel better, be kind to yourself; we're here.

[Lyns1411 in reply to Hidden]

Thankyou so much for understanding and trying to help me through this

[Hidden in reply to Lyns1411]

No problem at all, those feelings are horrible and it's so hard with all the body is throwing at us. Are you feeling any better now? I assumed it might have passed while I was typing it, but hoped maybe it was something you can use at another point. I used to (and sometimes still do) get that throat sensation. Hated it! Finding out what it was helped bring some peace of mind.

[Lyns1411 in reply to Hidden]

Im calming down a bit now. Thankyou so much xx

[Hidden in reply to Lyns1411]

Awesome! Keep feeling better, and absolutely. Anytime you need even just some venting or advice, feel free to reach out. Everyone is very helpful on here. Take care!