Does anyone else obsess over their breathing?

For the past 3 years of my life I’ve been having phases of me obsessing over my breathing. At first I thought I had a lung problem or some type of health issue, I always knew I had OCD but I didn’t know it could spread to my physical body instead of my brain. I would feel short of breath, almost like I can’t get a good amount of air in. I’d constantly think about my breathing night and day all the time. I’ve done every test, I’ve always been told I’m fine which feels worse when you’re drowning. I’d take prednisone and think it was fixing my breathing and it would go away then I’d find something else to obsess over and basically my brain would get tired of my obsession and it would come back to obsessing over my breathing again. I’m starting to realize it’s my OCD. I’m on Medicare and it’s hard to find a therapist who specializes in OCD. Does anyone feel like this? And what can I do to fix it? I want to live again and not just survive. ❤️

Anonymous

Date posted: Yesterday

I have had periods like this, but never for more than a few weeks. It is so uncomfortable and makes my quality of life plummet. One thing that helped is a podcast episode by The Imperfectly Perfect Duo, I believe the title is 'Should we ignore our physical anxiety symptoms?'

Rebecca ❤️

Date posted: Yesterday

@Anonymous I’m totally gonna look into that, do you have any other suggestions or videos I should watch that might help or that helped you?

Cupake21211

Date posted: Yesterday

Omg I can relate I started getting the I can’t breath freely and it would come back randomly in and out and was even scared I had asthma even if I didn’t and it’s not even constant like out of nowhere like in the airplane or when traveling I get it and it’s really random to

Rebecca ❤️

Date posted: Yesterday

@Cupake21211 It’s very stressful and scary especially because it comes and goes for periods of time in my life as well. Do you have any advice as to how you deal with it

Cupake21211

Date posted: Yesterday

Right now on other ocds I feel I am learning but this one I don’t sadly but I feel I would just recamond know it’s ok it’s just a doubt and like I really take deep breaths and take it slow I feel that helps

Cupake21211

Date posted: Yesterday

I also do dance so I think that helps regulate my stress

Rebecca ❤️

Date posted: Yesterday

@Cupake21211 Thank you for reaching out and commenting. Even if you don’t have all the answers it’s nice to get advice from other people living the same nightmare as me. ❤️

gracexocd

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: Yesterday

Yes girl going through this right now! It’s called air hunger super super common in anxiety and you being hyper aware of it makes it feel worse

Rebecca ❤️

Date posted: Yesterday

@gracexocd It’s so stressful and some days are easier and some days I feel so depressed because my brain tells me it’s never going to end but I’m remaining resilient. It’s hard battling OCD and anxiety.. is there anything that you do that helps you when you’re feeling like this? ❤️

gracexocd

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: Yesterday

@Rebecca ❤️ Yes same ! When it’s an everyday think taking away from your daily life and being happy it definitely can cause depression. Although I haven’t found something in the moment to help, I do know letting it be there and not fighting it is key. OCD tries to truly make you push things away so letting them be there over time you will feel the air hunger and just no longer care. Because you CAN breathe. You aren’t dying it suffocating and you know that because you’ve felt it hundreds of times. Let it be there, accept it, tell ocd I see you I hear you but right now I can not engage with you.

AAmaris

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: Yesterday

Hi there, I’m sorry we’re in this OCD boat to no where. See some things I’ve learned about OCD is that it can obsess over anything. So the “Theme” although some may make us feel worse, don’t really matter because the tools and ways to treat it are all the same. I always use to say I want to “Fix it” and turns out we can’t fix it. This is us. We need to learn how to live with it and the less power we give it the weaker it gets. For example I used to obsess over my heart beat, or any weird sensation I felt in my body. Now if I feel something I say things like “maybe it is something to worry about or maybe it’s not” OCD is a bully and it installs fear. We want to control things and fix things. We need to let go and just let it be. It won’t get better overnight it takes practice, like a muscle and going to the gym. I know it’s hard to find a specialist try YouTube I recommend Nathan Peterson he’s an OCD & Anxiety specialist his channel is @ocdandanxiety hope this helps even if it’s just a little bit! You got this!!

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