Everytime I feel I can't breathe

I suffer from focusing on my breathing also. Everything that deals with my breathing. I’m sorry, it’s super annoying. You’re not alone!

@Ababe8764 I focus on my blinking & swelling! Somatic ocd can be so terrible. You’re not alone.

Thanks for the reply 💙

Yes, soon as you start to feel as if you can’t breathe automatically go into mediating. Meditation has controlled breathing and you can’t do anything but control your breathing with meditation. Maybe do imagery guided meditation that way the imagery they are setting up is something different to focus on than your own thoughts.

@Itzjuzash I feel like the more I focus on it the worse it gets, like heading right for a panic attack, that there is not enough air in the room. It’s just Terrible!

@Ababe8764 Trust me I know how you feel

Thanks for the reply 💙

I struggled with this for so long. Erp really helped but I also found out i had asthma

I have suffered from somatic OCD for over 35 years, mainly breathing. I have spent minutes, hours, days, months and years monitoring each breath. The best relief is a good med combo that involves SSRIs and/or SNRIs. Nothing short lived and addicting like Xanax, etc. I loathe how anxiety relaxation is centered around breathing. I don’t need to focus on mine - I did 24/7 a day! I was in group therapy years ago and I remember throwing the relaxation cassette tape on the table and saying it was garbage because I don’t need to focus on my breathing and my stunned group mates agreed with me. It’s odd to me how most anxiety docs, counselor, etc, never experienced it firsthand unlike addiction and recovery therapists, rape or domestic abuse therapists, etc have. It’s mostly learned via text book or reading case studies. I was blessed to have worked with a psychiatrist years ago who also had panic attacks. I just wish I had worked with more doctors and therapists that can not only say they can talk the talk but have walked the walk. Until you live it firsthand, you’ll never understand how I feel. Honestly, my breathing fear also dissipated after I had a scary encounter once at a restaurant where I actually choked and had to have the Heimlich Maneuver. I was starting to pass out from lack of air. There is hope out there. I truly wish you find some peace.