Shortness of Breath / Hyperventilation - Panic Attack Symptoms

Panic Attack Symptoms / Shortness of Breath / Hyperventilation

Shortness of Breath

Shortness of breath is one of the scariest symptoms of a panic attack, as is hyperventilation. Your chest feels tight or constricted and it feels hard to take a deep breath. While dealing with panic attacks and anxiety, this was my main symptom. I would also feel as though I had to control my breathing and if I didn’t I would stop. Most of the time, this feeling would lead me into a full fledged panic attack.

The reason this happens, is when the flight or fight response is triggered, our bodies natural deep relaxed breathing is replaced with quick shallow breaths, thus causing a tightness in the chest wall and leaving you with a feeling like you cannot catch your breath.

The next reason is that when people are fearful they tend to quiet their breathing or even hold their breath. I can remember that without even realizing it, I had been holding my breath so often that I had sore abdominal muscles. A good needed laugh gave me the opportunity to realize this and relax my muscles!

Hyperventilation

Hyperventilation (over breathing) is known to either cause panic attacks or make them worse. The most important thing you need to know about hyperventilation, is that it feels as though you are not getting enough oxygen, but the opposite is true, you are breathing in too much. When this happens you are not giving your body a chance to retain its CO2 levels (which takes the oxygen out of your blood) leaving you feeling like you need to breathe more often.

The best way to remedy this bad habit, is to slow your breathing way down, even hold your breath for as long as you can to restore your CO2 or even breathe into a paper bag which gives you a chance to re-inhale the Carbon dioxide that you’ve exhaled too quickly.