Manual breathing

Does anybody else who suffers from health anxiety find themselves breathing manualy from time to time? Sometimes i just can`t catch my breath and this in turn makes my dizzy, which often triggers a panic attack of some kind. I hate this so much.

[tke5768]

I always manual breathe. I have no clue as to how to breathe normally. I am trying yoga now, they say it's great for your health, it teaches u how to breathe right, and it keeps your joints flexible. Very good for the mind, body, spirit. i figure I have nothing else to loose. We have alot of men, fit and not fit. Its for everyone now. have a great day.

[hypnotik200]

i most def get like that i hav been fro tha past couple of days on on predisone and flovent and advair for my asthma but im not wheezing or anything i thank its just an anxiety thing and ima have to try and deal with it im on 20mlgs of celexa for that but hang in there it will turn around for you you will have good days then u will have reelly bad onez anxiety is terrible and i feel for everyone who has this !!! take caree

[ramramram]

I teach Pranayama an ancient breathing technique from India. Do you want to learn it.

[pathtoyirah]

So-called 'manual breathing' was my first anxiety symptom. I experienced this from the ages of 8-10. Breathing occurs naturally without thinking about it. If you do think about it and labour your breathing, you'll likely hyperventilate which will cause dizziness/lightheadedness and at its worst passing out. However, if you pass out from hyperventilation, your body will regulate its breathing while you're out. Anyway, the only way to breath normally is not to think about it. Once you've concerned yourself with other things your breathing will occur naturally.

[Jennifer375]

Well said. :0)

[shelzmike]

I understand exactly what is meant by manual breathing, but are you really? In order to say that you always manually breathe, means that you do so on every breath and that if you didn't you wouldn't. Is is possible to manually breathe in your sleep.

One thing that I learned to get over this is that this is one of the very basic functions of our biological bodies (which is why it bothers us so much!) Once we realize that we are not in control of our breathing, we will stop trying to be. For example - try to hold your breath, as long as you can...eventually you will breathe again, gasping for air (it is unlikely that you will pass out, but even if you do, the same thing happens, you start breathing immediately). Why? For the simple fact that our bodies were designed very well and that our bodies know what it needs, without our conscious help. Most cases people always breathe fine unless there is some sort of injury. This is a classic symptom or anxiety and panic and can be overcome. We need not learn how to breathe any particular way simply to sustain our life - only if we want to train our bodies to be MORE effecient for relaxation, sports, etc.

Mike

[littleladyblossom]

Manual breathing is all in your head. It happened to me before where i was trying to relax by breathing manually..in and out...but then i got "tired" because when you manually breathe hard..you strain your muscles..and i started to panick that i wouldn't be able to breathe forever..that someday i would get tired of breathing and stop!

So i manually breathed a lot during my anxiety. until one day i was at a water park having so much fun and i felt so relaxed..and realized i hadn't thought once about my breathing.

It is hard to stop the manual breathing...because then you feel like you wont breathe...this weird trick i learned is to take off your shirt....look in a mirror....close your mouth, and snap your fingers or lick the top of the roof of your mouth and WATCH yourself automatically breathe. To show you taht it happens naturally.

You will see your chest move up and down..your diaphram go in an out. The rason i say snap your fingers and lick the roof of your mouth is because if you just stare at your chest or stomach without doing something else...you will most likely STILL be controling your breathing.

Once the fear of being tired of breathing, being unable to breathe automatically etc etc is faced...it becomes easier.

There are a variety of bodily functions that are automatic that when you have anxiety..you focus on them and then they become a nuisance. THe key to conquering these triggers is to be happy and comfortable. And know that nothing is a life sentence. Your mind will get bored if it isn't being fed fear...and you will move on. Trust me on this.

Another thing that may help you...is that most people are very shallow breathers. Meaning..that most people..feel good and relaxed and normal breathing very little. When you manually breathe you're much more likely to strain yourself and hyperventilate which can increase the anxiety. Most breathing is not strained and albored and noticeable.

Also, when you start auto breathing...and you catch yourself focusing on your breathe...focus on the present. how you feel when you are breathing automatically..how calm you are. How unnoticeable your breathing is. And you will realize that you do not need to be concious of it...or even work at it to stay ventilated and happy.

Hope this helps