Having shortness of breath is without a doubt the most common symptom of panic and anxiety attacks. It can be an extremely scary feeling since you basically feel as though you can’t breathe, but it’s not actually harmful despite the way it feels.
Some people describe the shortness of breath as being accompanied with tightness in the chest as well. Others say that the shortness is breath makes them feel as though they are suffocating, or chest-deep in water.
One of the worse things that you can do when you feel short of breath is to panic, which is kind of redundant since the feeling is usually brought on during a panic attack. However, as scary as it might feel, you should really try to breathe through it. If you don’t then you will risk hyperventilating, which can make the situation even worse.
There are several things that you can do when you feel a shortness of breath during an anxiety or panic attacks. You should utilize which method works best for you. Some people claim that taking short, shallow breaths will eventually get their breathing back on track. Others claim that trying to hold their breath while they count to 10 is another good way to even it out. A third method is to simply take long, deep breaths and focus on each breath that you take.
Some people think that they are having asthma attacks when they feel shortness of breath during a panic attack. They might even go to their physician and request an inhaler. While asthma sufferers might suffer from shortness of breaths during the attacks as well as the rest of the world, the inhaler is not a solution for those people who do not have asthma. The shortness of breath that is suffered during a panic attack is not the same thing as the inability to breathe during an asthma attack. Therefore, asthma medication will probably not help you in this situation and might even cause harm.
If you find yourself having panic attacks or anxiety attacks frequently and the shortness of breath that accompanies them worries you, then you should definitely pay a visit to your doctor. There is treatment available for panic and anxiety attacks and therefore there is no reason for you to continue to suffer. Although the shortness of breath is not actually harmful, just scary, it can be troublesome and you don’t have to suffer from it.