hyperventilation

Hi ,

I suffer from hyperventilation every day, and I´m trying to breathe through my stomach, but everytime i forget it and i end up hyperventilating again.
i really feel lost, because this is the main problem of my anxiety.
i´m listening to relaxation music, so that i become more calm. Do any of u guys have any more TIPS&TRICKS to deal with this??, i'd love to try more things...

xxx flowergirlie
 

Remus

Moderator
Staff member
I breath in through the nose and out through the mouth, as calmly as possible, try and distract myself by doing things
 
I usually play video games or watch the tv... just something to occupy the mind so that it doesn't turn on itself.
 

Gerdje

Well-known member
Yeah, If you're not used to breathing lower, or like me, used to breath with your high chest, it's quite difficult because you somehow have to force yourself this habit. With my medication, I don't get any full blown panic attack anymore, but if I feel like hyperventilating, starting to feel a bit dizzy, I try to simple breath deeply and slow through my mouth (I'm used to breathing through the mouth while I think most people breath through their nose), it automatically "lowers" toward the stomach.

Listing to calm music helps really, but you are not always in a situation where you can do that, I think a key is to let go of whatever you where thinking of, and focus on something you really like doing.

I also watch tv a lot, and play video games, they distract my from thinking about negative things, but in the end, video games don't relax me personally.
 
Yeah, If you're not used to breathing lower, or like me, used to breath with your high chest, it's quite difficult because you somehow have to force yourself this habit. With my medication, I don't get any full blown panic attack anymore, but if I feel like hyperventilating, starting to feel a bit dizzy, I try to simple breath deeply and slow through my mouth (I'm used to breathing through the mouth while I think most people breath through their nose), it automatically "lowers" toward the stomach.

Listing to calm music helps really, but you are not always in a situation where you can do that, I think a key is to let go of whatever you where thinking of, and focus on something you really like doing.

I also watch tv a lot, and play video games, they distract my from thinking about negative things, but in the end, video games don't relax me personally.

Hey gerdje, What kind of medication do u use??
And yea i think it works better to breathe through my mouth too,
it relaxes me more :) Good idea, playin videos games Gerdje&Dronnee
I will plug in my Playstation again haha. Or download some nice games at the PC. Thnx for the tip ;).
It's good to distract myself when im having a bad attack, because its really bad to experience that, so i can get my mind off something else..

I think hyperventilation is my main problem, i think it causes my SA,
because i feel pain in my chest in social situations, somehow it makes me feel happy because i only have to find the way to breathe on the right way,
and i can cope with it. Maybe some people dont even know (with SA) that this is the cause... Breathing can cause so many things..., It is the way you live, anxiety causes wrong breathing technique..
But of course i have to work on my mental issues too... :)

XX flowergirlie
 

Gerdje

Well-known member
Hey gerdje, What kind of medication do u use??
And yea i think it works better to breathe through my mouth too,
it relaxes me more :) Good idea, playin videos games Gerdje&Dronnee
I will plug in my Playstation again haha. Or download some nice games at the PC. Thnx for the tip ;).
It's good to distract myself when im having a bad attack, because its really bad to experience that, so i can get my mind off something else..

I think hyperventilation is my main problem, i think it causes my SA,
because i feel pain in my chest in social situations, somehow it makes me feel happy because i only have to find the way to breathe on the right way,
and i can cope with it. Maybe some people dont even know (with SA) that this is the cause... Breathing can cause so many things..., It is the way you live, anxiety causes wrong breathing technique..
But of course i have to work on my mental issues too... :)

XX flowergirlie
About my medication, I take Alprazolam (Xanax) 4 times 0.5mg/day,
but if you haven't gone the path of medications, I would try to stay away from it as much as possible. Everyone is different, in my personal situation, Xanax really helps at cutting off the sharp edges of anxiety, for example I touch wood, but I haven't had any full blown panic attack since I'm on it (for 5 years), my hands don't shake that much and I don't sweat that much in any stressful situation, but I'm still experiencing most of the symptoms though, and of course meds alone don't make you think differently, or look at things differently, and there are countless side effects like feeling tired all day long, insomnia, mood swings, you name it...

I'm currently looking on a forum which help people getting off these kinds of medications, because getting rid of them is in many cases another very hard episode to go through.
 
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About my medication, I take Bromazepam (Xanax) 4 times 0.5mg/day,
but if you haven't gone the path of medications, I would try to stay away from it as much as possible. Everyone is different, in my personal situation, Xanax really helps at cutting off the sharp edges of anxiety, for example I touch wood, but I haven't had any full blown panic attack since I'm on it (for 5 years), my hands don't shake that much and I don't sweat that much in any stressful situation, but I'm still experiencing most of the symptoms though, and of course meds alone don't make you think differently, or look at things differently, and there are countless side effects like feeling tired all day long, insomnia, mood swings, you name it...

I'm currently looking on a forum which help people getting off these kinds of medications, because getting rid of them is in many cases another very hard episode to go through.

Ah Xanax, well I only take that when im having a very bad anxiety attack, so i can understand you want to get rid off that medicine, but i think its really helpfull tho. Oxazepam is really helpful too. I wish you luck, It's a big difference without meds, I take risperdal & melatonine now, but I don't think it really helps me with this. xx
 
Hmm.. maybe someone should design video games that actually sedate the player as opposed to stimulating the player... good for anxious people and people who can't sleep.
 
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