Stress Center Peer Support

Posted: **Thu Feb 14, 2008 6:20 am**

Does anyone have this issue?

I feel like I am not taking a full breath. It's as if it stops half way thru?

Posted: **Thu Feb 14, 2008 6:38 am**

This is a common anxiety issue...if you weed back through the posts you'll see a lot of people have the same problem. It will pass...you said you slept wrong last night and you were high on anxiety, you chest muscles are probably just tight from that

Posted: **Thu Feb 14, 2008 6:50 am**

Yes and when I first had this I thought I was having a heart attack and had my husband at the time take me straight to the ER! Isn't that typical? I had started to hyperventilate because it scared me! As soon as the doctor told me my heart was Ok, I breathed into a paper bag, slowed my breathing down, and was then fine. When I get anxious I notice my breathing getting shallower and shallower. I practice deep breathing techniques now and get up and do something physical that forces me to breath deeper and takes my mind of it - and low and behold I breathe just fine!

Posted: **Thu Feb 14, 2008 6:53 am**

Thanks I think that's the issue along with my
TMJ muscles which are also sore today.
I just did the breathing exercises along with
Lucinda and they did help loose up the muscles.

Posted: **Thu Feb 14, 2008 6:59 am**

Originally posted by Mary Wargo:
Yes and when I first had this I thought I was having a heart attack and had my husband at the time take me straight to the ER! Isn't that typical? I had started to hyperventilate because it scared me! As soon as the doctor told me my heart was Ok, I breathed into a paper bag, slowed my breathing down, and was then fine. When I get anxious I notice my breathing getting shallower and shallower. I practice deep breathing techniques now and get up and do something physical that forces me to breath deeper and takes my mind of it - and low and behold I breathe just fine!

Oh wow- so you were really breathing too short and quick. It makes me lightheaded sometimes too. My issue is more like muscle tightness in
the throat area I think.

Posted: **Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:00 am**

Good! Glad to hear you are feeling a bit better.

Now you know what to do if it happens again..or just do the 2/4 breathing on your own...just make sure its from your belly and not your chest.

Posted: **Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:56 am**

Another thing to try when you find you can not breathe deeply is to simply breathe out. Then breathe out a bit more. When you think you can breathe out no more air. Breathe out again. Usually you haven't emptied your lungs out sufficiently and that makes it difficult to breathe in deeply.

Posted: **Thu Feb 14, 2008 3:49 pm**

Oh god, I've had anxeity for probably around 20 years, and I can remember entire YEARS of not taking a full breath. This program is helping with even that, though. Keep going!

Stress Center Peer Support

Problem taking a Breath