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Am I having anxiety attacks?
I have been having these "attacks" for a few weeks now where I will randomly have to manually control my breathing. I am 18 years old and have no known food allergies. There is no stressed involved with these attacks and they happen periodically throughout the day. It happens even when I am sitting watching T.V. so it is just out of the blue. Are these anxiety attacks or something different?
Ok I did some research and found this at ****.com.
Anxiety hyperventilation is often caused by one of two issues:
Breathing too fast, such as during an anxiety attack when your body is in fight/flight mode.
Thinking about your breathing, which may cause you to take in more air then you need.
The latter is common in people with health anxieties and panic attacks. These individuals are often concerned about their health so they start to control their own breathing, and ultimately try to take in too much air in order to feel their chest expand for a full breath. The body often doesn't need that much air, and shortness of breath occurs.
So, apparently when people with anxiety think about their breathing they could actually become short of breath. Perhaps this is what's happening to you.
Anxiety hyperventilation is often caused by one of two issues:
Breathing too fast, such as during an anxiety attack when your body is in fight/flight mode.
Thinking about your breathing, which may cause you to take in more air then you need.
The latter is common in people with health anxieties and panic attacks. These individuals are often concerned about their health so they start to control their own breathing, and ultimately try to take in too much air in order to feel their chest expand for a full breath. The body often doesn't need that much air, and shortness of breath occurs.
So, apparently when people with anxiety think about their breathing they could actually become short of breath. Perhaps this is what's happening to you.
If by manually control your breathing you mean you actually have to think about breathing because you feel like if you don't you'll stop breathing or not breathe enough then I have the same thing happen to. In fact I haven't been to sleep yet tonight because of it. I have a history of anxiety and anxiety attacks so it quite possibly is causing your issue. I would still bring it up to the Dr. though
I have regular asthma, but that has been going on for years. The attacks are quite recent. I will be seeing a doctor this week, have any suggestions on the type of doctor i should be seeing? Thanks!!
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