Anxiety? Do This Every Time, Please!

Humans tend to BREATH HOLD when they're anxious. Whether you're having surgery or not, our bodies respond to anxiety with somewhat predictable signs and symptoms. We sometimes see it under anesthesia, too!

By checking your breathing whenever you start to feel tense or anxious, you can break the anxiety spiral before it sets in.

Patients even hold their breath under anesthesia, but it's for multiple reasons, not just anxiety.

[milagallardo]

I had surgery twice and the anesthesiologist ask if I was anxious and I said : yes, they injected something for relaxation and it really helped me .

[Nivina]

When I'm anxious my breathing always is distorted(breathing too fast, too slow...) So Im always concious I'm breathing. However, thank you.

[darriontunstall]

Great idea! I love that song in the background lol 😂

[emmamae]

thanks for the help i have such bad anxiety

[heidi]

Yes!! Thank you! It is so easy to breathe hold and not even notice it! You can even breathe hold while talking.
Thank you Dr.K

[ponydash]

Did not know i did breath holding when anxious till a doctor told me that i needed to breath. He counted and i held my breath for 5 minutes straight. And did not even notice. To me it felt more like i was shallow Its hard to explain.

[donnam]

I was unconsciously doing this because of pain in preop before my 5th knee surgery. I ended up setting off the monitors 3 times. After the 3rd time, they medicated me with a couple things, I dunno what, and I stopped that.

[ponydash]

But what do sleepy time doctors do when PTs breath hold???

[Christynmaine]

Can this be why I panicked when I had an MRI?

[noexcuses]

U gave me an anxiety attack just moving ur hands

[Noelsterrr]

I mean, that's great and all, but when are yall going to find a cure instead of perpetuating the problem in the name of capitalism?