STAY STRONG – Anxiety Busters: How to Breathe

Taking a deep breath can help reduce anxiety. Montefiore’s Supervising Psychologist and Assistant Director of the Trauma-Informed Care Program, Dr. Paul Bulman, demonstrates ways to breathe better when feeling anxious about COVID-19.

[ezekielj.]

You know what I hate? When this type of shortness of breath cause is caused by anxiety and stress, but when you can’t get the satisfaction or a full breath in it makes you more anxious and stressed

[samveitchmusic]

This helped me perfectly to the point it put a smile on my face. Anxiety is worse than the plague

[randichristine]

Thank you. I’ve been so uncomfortable. My only symptoms of anxiety are inability to sleep and/or stay asleep, jittery legs, and inability to breathe comfortably. The other night my racing heart woke me up out of dead sleep. I don’t know why I get anxiety, I don’t feel feel fear, not really stressed. It happens periodically. I am hoping these exercises will help my breathing.

[saysay]

There was this one time when I just felt like I can't breathe and my chest tighten. I was rushed to the E.R and everything was fine (my vital signs) and they referred me to a psychiatrist. Anxiety is really scary specially when it attacks you, you'll suddenly get scared, going crazy or/and feel like you're gonna die from shortness of breath

[susanforsythe]

Dear Dr Paul I thank you from the bottom of my heart this morning . . . May God bless you in your life and work
x susan from ireland

[roughryder]

Dude that felt so relaxing. My hands started tingling

[BLiNKBTW]

I'm 37 year old male, and I have never smoked and never drink alcohol im 5'3 and a little overweight at 140lb, I do have anxiety and have had it for over 20 years and have been taking clonozapam for about 10 years at 0.5mg per day.

My experience with "breahtless-ness" is more in the sense of I have to force yawns and deep breaths and some of those times I cannot get a satisfying breath in, I believe that this dysfunctional breathing habit can cause hyperventilation even though otherwise my breathing is not rapid and heart rate is not accelerated during these episodes.

I wanted to blame it on anxiety but I' have had anxiety most of my life and this has only started about 5 years ago, nothing really has changed since then. I figured if it was anxiety it would be temporary when i felt anxious or even had a panic attack but no... this is ongoing and lasts for hours and its every single day. I suspect however that at rest i do not have this problem, I'm not sure. The reason that I say that I may not have this issue while sleeping is because I have checked my blood oxygen variables and they don't have high variations.

I have had blood work done, chest x ray for lungs, an abdominal sonogram, and ecg or ekg im not sure which of the two, I'm very active at work ... i walk a minimum of 10k steps per day and i wouldn't say that this is worsen with exertion, i can be at rest and have this episode of breathlessness and forcing yanws and deep breaths because my mind thinks it needs more oxygen, this sensation then triggers anxiety and if i don't focus it can turn into a panic attack which i have been doing very good on controlling it.

I tried everything from supplementing with vitamin b1 and other supplements to even breathing techniques, and i still suffer from this, my primary doctor doesn't really understand and just says its my anxiety, my reasoning is what if its not just anxiety because if it was anxiety wouldn't this sensation be occasionally and not all day every day soon as i wake up i have this sensation that i need more oxygen and force myself to take deep breaths where a yawn can be my only relief? what if its habitual from the dysfunctional breathing all these years?

I'm sorry for the ramble but i figured i would put what im going through in hopes that someone else who is experiencing this knows that they are not the only ones and we are trying our best to find the cause and solution because it is really affecting my quality of life.

[BritniCarson-sifg]

This is so helpful to anyone struggling and the relaxation hot line is an amazing tool, thank you so much!

[johnshelby]

The anxiety symptoms just being here only in breath
I also have phlegm in the throat and nose. But these two dont make me sit home
I have done blood tests and they are all excellent . I think i have health anxiety because sometimes i do something and i think i have something

[melissamaule]

This air hunger sucks only time u do get a ease is when u are sleeping problems to yawn to take a deep breath is very tuff

[samanthapskelly]

Totally agree that the breath can do such wonderful things!

[lakersforever]

Anxiety kills me every single day i dont want to live like this anymore im too weak idk what to do

[jasminejas]

I'm having shortness of breath every single day and it's exhausting !! The panic attacks had stoped lately but im having this problem with breathing

[goldeesmith]

That felt wonderful seems like my head was unclogged if that makes any sense Thank you Dr.❤️

[gemmalynriverarullan]

I experienced that 3 days ago. I thought i was going to die when out of nowhere i couldnt swallow my food and couldnt breath then few seconds later i finally started breathing. Then i was afraid to eat my food and i got scared and i quickly asked someone to take me to the hospital.

[CelestialTrailblazer]

SHORTNESS OF BREATH, DYSPNEA, AIR HUNGER could be due to VCD & Paradoxical Vocal Fold Motion.

[aminaaurora.w]

It’s like the air just stops. I just can’t take a deep one. It doesn’t go down lower then the top off my chest. After a few days it hurts. I get tired and sometimes it feels like I can’t work as i should. I get stressed when someone says “take a deep breath” like I haven’t tried that for days.

[armyoflemons]

i honestly don’t know what to do. i overthink a lot and that makes me lose my breath and it feels tight to breath. it’s hard and it’s rlly annoying. i just walk around and drink water, and it’s currently happening rn

[KakampingBanoGaming]

My heart is palpitating then i started to feel like I can't breathe at all ! I do some research and I see that my symptoms is due to an anxiety.

[nintendy]

I’ve practised deep breathing for years - and it still only lasts whilst I am sitting and consciously doing it... All other times, I continually shallow-breathe and have absolutely no control over it... Please help!