conciously breathing

k98ta · 07-23-2007, 01:22 PM

do any of you guys focus on your breathing i mean it may sound weird but its like everytime i go out in public im like focused on breathing and i believe that makes me hyperventilate a little bit. i guess when i go out im just afraid of having a panic attack or something,, its kind of annoying

acornicus · 07-23-2007, 02:12 PM

I get this fairly often to and it really sux doesn't it. For me it's at worst when
my anxiety is high or when I have quiet moments(I think about it more then). If I keep my mind occupied or distracted it is a non issue. For me it helps to exercise even if it is just moving about a bit for period of time. I think being active helps me relax and open up those lungs and get some air flowing.

Good Luck and God Bless,

Aaron

m_alyssa1 · 07-24-2007, 12:57 AM

yes, I had a problem with this for a long time to the extreme before I went back on the meds.I would constantly hyperventilate and then panic, it felt like I could not breathe normally.

tcl18 · 07-24-2007, 06:02 AM

I recognize shallow breathing when I'm under stress. I combat it by focsuing on slowing down my breathing and counting the length of my inhale and exhale. It really slows down your breathing and helps relieve and lessen stress. Very calming.

Johnnny off Paxil · 07-24-2007, 10:28 AM

yup.... in fact my withdrawal symptoms have been a little bit more severe than that..but essentially thats how it began..I'd go for a walk or be driving to work, when suddenly by "paying attention" to my breathing.... I could no longer breath naturally.
Later in June and July it escalated to whenever I was sitting down or whenever I'd take an afternoon nap, suddenly I'd wake up gasping for air..I was experiencing apnea.
The symptoms got so severe I've ended up in ER about 4 times.
Only in the last 2 weeks has this been slowly abating, the symptoms now "mutating" into something else.
What my therapist said was that this was a type of PTSD from the trauma of my "Paxil experience". She also said it was important to try to diffuse the anxiety and stress surrounding the symptoms, that even though this seemed "life threatening", that I wasn't going to die from it.
Of all the physical symptoms of withdrawal this one has been the most difficult and long lasting..this went on for almost 7 weeks.
Lastly, I will have to echo what Alto says about"artificial anxiety"..now how or why this happens at the end of withdrawal or for some people at the 1 year mark..I don't know...it probably has something to do with the adrenal glands starting to kick in and trying to rebalance, the levels of cortisol( fight or flight) are some how not in sync. I also notice that the "transition" between sleep,rest and waking to be abrupt....there seems to be a lack of transition time.
Anyhow, this does correct itself gradually over time. The important thing about withdrawal symptoms is to "know" that they are "withdrawal" an thats all.

Regards, Johnny

summer bee · 07-24-2007, 12:55 PM

yup, this is sort of a constant thing for me. i took a yoga class in college and i couldn't handle it, because when i feel like i'm in "conscious control of my breath", i feel like i'm not getting enough air. usually, when we KNOW we're breathing, we're getting too MUCH air -- which usually leads to dizziness and lightheadedness and all that. i still try to do mindfulness meditation, but i ignore any excercise that asks you to focus on breath.

acornicus · 07-24-2007, 03:07 PM

I agree Summer Bee the more I "focus" on it the more of an issue
it becomes for me. The only time I spend on this is when anxiety
is high and it is necessary because of shallow breathing. I had this
issue in early twenties and overcame it by keeping my mind occupied.
It's only after paxil that it has tried to make a comeback*#**!!

07-23-2007, 01:22 PM	#1
k98ta Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 38	conciously breathing do any of you guys focus on your breathing i mean it may sound weird but its like everytime i go out in public im like focused on breathing and i believe that makes me hyperventilate a little bit. i guess when i go out im just afraid of having a panic attack or something,, its kind of annoying

07-23-2007, 02:12 PM	#2
acornicus Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Iowa GO HAWKS!! Posts: 174	Re: conciously breathing I get this fairly often to and it really sux doesn't it. For me it's at worst when my anxiety is high or when I have quiet moments(I think about it more then). If I keep my mind occupied or distracted it is a non issue. For me it helps to exercise even if it is just moving about a bit for period of time. I think being active helps me relax and open up those lungs and get some air flowing. Good Luck and God Bless, Aaron

07-24-2007, 12:57 AM	#3
m_alyssa1 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sunnyvale,CA Posts: 280	Re: conciously breathing yes, I had a problem with this for a long time to the extreme before I went back on the meds.I would constantly hyperventilate and then panic, it felt like I could not breathe normally. __________________ 12.5 cr for 5 yrs tapered 2mgs at a time every 2 weeks(too fast) getting back on paxil trying to work back up to 10mg. currently at 10 mg will try again in the future. Now at 12.5 CR

07-24-2007, 06:02 AM	#4
tcl18 Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 657	Re: conciously breathing I recognize shallow breathing when I'm under stress. I combat it by focsuing on slowing down my breathing and counting the length of my inhale and exhale. It really slows down your breathing and helps relieve and lessen stress. Very calming.

07-24-2007, 10:28 AM	#5
Johnnny off Paxil Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Persona Non Grata... I am No Expert on Nothing Posts: 2,894	Re: conciously breathing yup.... in fact my withdrawal symptoms have been a little bit more severe than that..but essentially thats how it began..I'd go for a walk or be driving to work, when suddenly by "paying attention" to my breathing.... I could no longer breath naturally. Later in June and July it escalated to whenever I was sitting down or whenever I'd take an afternoon nap, suddenly I'd wake up gasping for air..I was experiencing apnea. The symptoms got so severe I've ended up in ER about 4 times. Only in the last 2 weeks has this been slowly abating, the symptoms now "mutating" into something else. What my therapist said was that this was a type of PTSD from the trauma of my "Paxil experience". She also said it was important to try to diffuse the anxiety and stress surrounding the symptoms, that even though this seemed "life threatening", that I wasn't going to die from it. Of all the physical symptoms of withdrawal this one has been the most difficult and long lasting..this went on for almost 7 weeks. Lastly, I will have to echo what Alto says about"artificial anxiety"..now how or why this happens at the end of withdrawal or for some people at the 1 year mark..I don't know...it probably has something to do with the adrenal glands starting to kick in and trying to rebalance, the levels of cortisol( fight or flight) are some how not in sync. I also notice that the "transition" between sleep,rest and waking to be abrupt....there seems to be a lack of transition time. Anyhow, this does correct itself gradually over time. The important thing about withdrawal symptoms is to "know" that they are "withdrawal" an thats all. Regards, Johnny

07-24-2007, 12:55 PM	#6
summer bee Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: pennsylvania Posts: 1,665	Re: conciously breathing yup, this is sort of a constant thing for me. i took a yoga class in college and i couldn't handle it, because when i feel like i'm in "conscious control of my breath", i feel like i'm not getting enough air. usually, when we KNOW we're breathing, we're getting too MUCH air -- which usually leads to dizziness and lightheadedness and all that. i still try to do mindfulness meditation, but i ignore any excercise that asks you to focus on breath. __________________ 06/26/2006: 10mg; found paxilprogress.org 06/28/2006-01/20/07: a long, zappy time of tapering paxil-free for: TWO YEARS! video: tapering off of paxil. facebook: the dangers of antidepressants. la times: my paxil withdrawal story "all systems begin and end in silence; nothing needs solving, nothing is a problem..." - al zolynas, the algebra nightmare

07-24-2007, 03:07 PM	#7
acornicus Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Iowa GO HAWKS!! Posts: 174	Re: conciously breathing I agree Summer Bee the more I "focus" on it the more of an issue it becomes for me. The only time I spend on this is when anxiety is high and it is necessary because of shallow breathing. I had this issue in early twenties and overcame it by keeping my mind occupied. It's only after paxil that it has tried to make a comeback#*!!

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