Everytime I feel I can't breathe or something hurt then my thoughts will image heaven or hell a vividly image and I start to worry and also fear of hallucinations made it worst Any tips on how to not give it any attention I know it's ocd not real but it just gets me all day all the time I hate somatic odd its annoying
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.
@Scotchann Wow! Thank you for this. Very informative! I am so glad yours has dissipated! You are strong!!!!! :)
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
Does anyone else struggle with OCD when it comes to breathing? I've had this for about two years now on and off and finally had enough and came on here to say this. When I try to explain this to other people, therapists, etc. they just don't get it, so maybe someone on here does. I literally cannot stop thinking about my breathing and when it is at its worst, the very act of breathing feels incredibly uncomfortable. It feels like the walls are closing in on me, I constantly feel like I'm having to catch my breath, and I constantly feel the urge to take a giant, "complete" breath and that is the only way I feel comfortable. It's usually manageable during the day, but at night when I try to go to sleep it's awful because when my brain has nothing else to focus on it reverts to the breathing. People tell me to just stop thinking about it but I literally cannot. Can anyone else relate or am I all alone on this one
Since I read that it's symptoms of schizophrenia voices in head who order to do bad things Usually I can deal with it but when I'm highly stressed I start to panic and idk if I believe voices and then I imagine living with it 24/7 it's horrible Im like it's unblerable part to feel pot in my stomach .. Am I in psychosis guys My psy is on vacation help ..I feel hopeless 🥺 Every time I read an symptoms on internet my mind manifest it but it's been a while my mind imitate voices because it's what scare me the most 🥺🥺🥺 A side note : I can attest that before reading symptoms it never even happened to me in my whole life
Does anyone know how to get rid of these thoughts? I have to manually breathe almost every second of everyday and it's getting tiresome and I can't stop thinking about no matter what the distractions are.
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