HELP: shortness of breath/depression/anxiety

Holly J · Post by **Holly J** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 4:16 pm

hi all. EXACTLY a year ago i started having bad anxiety and depression. i felt hopeless. took some medicine that screwed me over and bought the Combatting Stress and Depression Program kit and returned it cause it was too expensive. anyway, i felt bad for a few months than i stopped taking meds and felt better. but now it is back. around the same time of last year. spooky ey/ well i am feeling shortness of breath, very tired exhausted ANXIOUS and depressed cause i feel this way and panicy cause i dont want it to last as long asit did last year. i think ialsohave seasonal depression.whenever its sunny and hot i feel terrible. does anybody ever get shortness of breath just because?? what doi do?? i am so scared guys.any advice? thank you.you all helped me A LOT last year. does anybody feel like theyre dying?? i am having bad high anxiety and cant focus. cant focus at all and i feel like i need air. could it be i need more sleep?i do feel over worked. ahhh i am a mess.i dont want to take medicine either. maybe naturalstuff. can anybody reccomend something good for anxiety thats natural?anyadvice or support will be appreciated. i feel so alone. why am i like this. i am really worried about my shortness of breath tho.

angelos · Post by **angelos** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 4:28 pm

hey...just wanted to let you know that I also experience the shortness of breath so your not alone...i actually got worried about it to and went to the pulmonary doctor to get breathing testing done..it turns out i still have slight athsma (i had it when i was younger), but it's not bad athsma and most of my symptoms is probably just from anxiety..when you focus on your breathing it makes it worse..if your very worried about it maybe you should get similar testing done like i did..but think of it like this...before this recent bout with anxiety did you have shortness of breath? probably not and you probably didnt focus on it...your just so in tune to your body and your symptoms..i should be listening to some of my own advice haha...but i just wanted to let you know i have experience what you have and still dooooo..

Holly J · Post by **Holly J** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 4:32 pm

thankyou so much. dont have medical insurance so i cant see a dr ):

LeeAnn Sanzo · Post by **LeeAnn Sanzo** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 4:53 pm

Hi Holly, I know exactly what you're feeling, when I'm having bad anxiety, my chest feels so tight and I can't get my breath..what helps me is I sleep with a fan and I put blue gel on my nose and chest (which is natural..it has menthol..just go easy..don't use too much) It makes my chest and airways feel more open and the fan helps me breath better..Also, I drink chamomile tea when I have a really bad anxiety attack and I just try to avert my attention on something else.. (doing dishes or washing/drying/folding clothes or sometimes I'll write a list of cleaning that I need to do and just go down my list one item at a time) until it passes (which gets my mind off of the anxiety attack)..also breathing in two deep breaths and breath out 4 breaths..concentrating on counting helps..I also deal with dizziness and I just try to hold on to things and try to get my mind off of it until it passes. Also, spinach and walnuts are good foods to eat to fight off cortisol, which is what causes anxiety..exercise, even though you feel breathless or dizzy seems hard, but it builds feel good endorphins, which fight the cortisol causing anxiety. I hope these tips help, they've helped me through...

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marfet · Post by **marfet** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 1:40 am

Shortness of breath is very common when it comes to symptoms of anxiety. There are times, that I would work myself up into a tizzy, could not catch my breath, and felt like I was going to die. A techniquie I learned is laying on your back, placing your palm over your diaphram, breath in threw your nose, concentrating on bringing all of your oxygen into your diaphram, and then exhaling through your mouth. Also, focusing your attention elsewhere, such as on the flame of a candle, or a dim light helps to alleviate some of the symptoms. Several people replied that cleaning helps them to take there mind off of the shortness of breath. "This does help" I know, my house is spotless!