Can't stop thinking about my breathing

[Gavunchung]

Hey, I haven't been able to stop thinking about my breathing for the past two days. It all started when my teacher mentioned about involuntary breathing. I had experienced this before, but this time I have trouble sleeping, and the moment I wake up I think about it. I tell my parents about it but they think it's a small matter. Someone pls help me, I want my sleep. Btw I'm 16 this year

[elpspaul]

Does anybody get the aching just under the ribcage after constantly thinking about your breathing its such an horrible feeling

[Tdddy]

Recently happened to me about 2 weeks ago and I get this

[specialmom]

Hi Tdddy.  This seems to be something fairly common when people are anxious.  Right now with covid 19 I want to make sure you aren't sick in any other way.  Another possibility is that you maybe have some gastric reflux going on AND anxiety both.  

[Tdddy]

Hi specialmom. Unfortunately my breathing obsession/air hunger all started after a panic attack Around a month ago. No other symptoms and actually had all tests I.e blood, chest X-ray, ecg. It’s just when I breathe it doesn’t seem ‘sufficient’. It seemed to have happened overnight. Thanks for your reply

[Paxiled]

This then sounds like a lingering part of the trauma of having that panic attack.  Panic attacks are profoundly upsetting, especially the first ones, and trauma can cause us to remember what it felt like and not lose that memory.  This is especially common among anxiety sufferers.  To fix this will require you to either separate this symptom of an anxiety attack from your anxiety attacks through relaxation exercises, exercise, breathing exercises you do both when you're not and when you are having a panic attack, and meditation.  It might not get rid of your anxiety problem but it might get rid of this symptom.  Therapy, probably CBT, might help with the anxiety itself.  Best of luck.

[elpspaul]

Well put I've had this on and off for twenty years going through a bad time with it at the moment I just can't distract from it I don't feel so alone now

[Naveen_Prakash]

This Feeling is all about your Brain.Human Brains have memory cells to do a task without our knowledge like Breathing.OK coming to point,I recommend you to make a time to think about breathing. Fix a time to think about breathing(Make once per day).At that time you should do good breathing. Good breathing is that to make Belly Breathing.When you breathe,you should expand your lungs only,not your chest.(Tip: Expand your Belly While breathing).Don't make fast Breathing ,Go slowly and think that you are relaxing. After some Breathes Go for meditation.If you are not familiar with meditation not to worry.Just sit/lie down on your comfort zone Read some books that you always like to read.I always recommend to read good books that will always helpful to forget unnecessary thoughts/memories that running through your mind.Also Meditation helps to calm your mind and gives a great feeling to boost your confidence and before you go reading books practice meditation. Here are your tips: Sit straight so that your back bone is straight Make your atmosphere Calm.(keep your eyes closed) Now Count your Breathe upto 5(for 1 count inhale and exhale) and now count 1 to 50 in reverse order(try counting as seconds). After you finish counting you will notice that you can breathe without your knowledge.Repeat the process number of times you like but don't fix some count to do it.you do it until you satisfy.
Follow the tip given by yesssuiiih.It also a good tip. Important thing is to never get panic about your problem thats the only reason that makes you feel depressed and increase your problem. And i want the feedback  so post a comment.

[tortilino]

Yesssuiiih, thanks for the tip. The thing is though, that I started obsessing about my breath after I started doing meditation/mindfulness, which is about focusing on breath. After the meditation, I just couldn't not to think about my breath. So now I am afraid to use it to fix my issue since it is the cause of my problem in the first place. Weird.

[yesssuiiih]

Since I had this problem for quite a long time and it actually got so bad that I slept less than 2 hours every night for a whole week, just because I would have to think of my breathing which would then increase my heart rate making it impossible to sleep. It was a truly horrible and depressing time.
But I have good news :) I know how to fix this problem. There are a combination of things you can do. The most important one is:
Whenever you have to think of your breathing... just breathe. And yes I mean consciously. Breathe and try to think about how this breathing consciously doesn't bother you at all (I know it obviously those, but just say this to yourself and try to realize that it isn't a bad feeling and that everything is fine). Keep doing this until it goes away. Don't try to distract yourself because it will NOT work. I've been there. Other things that you can do that will help are: breathing meditation, mindfulness, exercise and positive affirmations

With these thing I completely solved my problem, I hope it helps!

[talestry]

I just get so irritated while I am conscious of my breathing though. But you give me hope that it can be solved while others who post about having it for years scares me. I've had it for 3 weeks now and I hate that it's not going away.

[Chrissy1289]

I have the same problem as you..I wake up and straight away think can I get that deep breath then start feeling warn out and tired and need to breath deeper and sometimes I just can't catch it which is the worst part. I couldn't believe it was anxiety as I have never been a anxious person but I guess just have to deal with it .. I've had it 4 months now .i think we need to just get on with it and hope it will just ease up