Does anyone have somatic OCD specific to breathing? Sounds crazy, but whenever i get in bed these days I cant help but start focusing on my breathing (because, diabolically, I know it makes it difficult to breathe). It’ll then become impossible for me to sleep, my breathing will be irregular, and I cant get my mind off it unless I become super busy. Has anyone found any solutions to this problem, between therapy, medication, etc? I exercise/otherwise take care of my health, but have had this problem the last 8 years and its getting more and more debilitating I dont want keeping busy to be the only solution- I want to be able to relax and not be plagued with the thought of breathing Thanks

I keep getting so fixated on my breathing and then it will go away for a few months and then come back when I get stressed. It's just so frustrating I don't even understand what I'm scared of ??? Focusing on my breathing? It just feels like I have to breath manually and I can't stop thinking about it and it's just scary! And frustrating! I want to be in the moment not thinking about a completely normal bodily function! Sorry for the nonsensical rant it's just frustrating! Wondering if anyone else deals with sensorimotor ocd?

Hi, new here to NOCD 👋🏼 I have struggled with what I now know as somatic OCD for the last 3 1/2 years, when it comes to breathing & taking deep breaths. I have noticed that I spend 98% of my day, thinking about it & paying attention to it. I know it’s a normal bodily function but I get the urge to take deep breaths every couple of mins. When I don’t get “a full deep breath”, it sends me into a panic & the intrusive thoughts start.. “what if I never get a deep breath again” “there is nothing I can do to make myself get that full deep breath” “if I don’t get a deep breath, you must not be able to breathe” - sometimes these thoughts & moments totally take over & I find myself spiraling. I feel like all my walls are closing in & my heart starts racing. The panic usually lasts a couple of mins if that but it feels like forever. I’m much better at handling and working through it now than I was 3 years ago, but I still have bad moments & sometimes bad days. At times, I’m able to talk myself through it & I don’t let it take over but other times, it feels uncontrollable. NOCD has been helpful so far, it’s comforting knowing I’m not alone. I’m just wondering if anyone else deals with this type of OCD? Have you found anything to be helpful to deal with it? Thanks in advance.

Hi I'm new here, I have been suffering from somatic breathing ocd for like a month now but has gotten so much worse since like 2 days ago my chest hurts everyday bc I be so focused on my breathing I feel like I can't switch back to automatic anym until unless I'm asleep the thought of breathing is always running constantly in the back of my mind when I'm distracting myself or when it gets worse its the only thing I can focus on. I literally feel like gasping for air too. I'm scared I might damage my automatic breathing system or something like that. Im lost as to what to do I feel like I'm beyond fixable.