There are several possible causes behind dyspnea, which is its technical name. respiratory distress Or shortness of breath. The most common are asthma, pneumonia and smoking. In all cases it is one Very uncomfortable and overwhelming experience For those who suffer from it. But this is especially true for those who suffer from it as a result of anxiety, because hyperventilation and the feeling of suffocation are associated with other really annoying sensations, such as dizziness, tremors, feeling of suffocation and panic, pulse. Out of controletc.
What is anxiety dyspnea?
Anxiety is a common experience for all humans. We all suffer it and we will suffer it more or less everyday situations, Like when we face a job interview or when we find ourselves facing a difficult conversation. However, when these feelings of anxiety become more and more frequent and severe… to the extent of interfering with our daily activities or causing us to suffer from them for no particular reason, that is when we start talking about it. Are anxiety disorders.
People who suffer from these types of disorders usually experience e.alert status Constantly encountering situations that the brain perceives as threatening or dangerous, even if they actually are not. There are some indicators that can alert us when there is reason to worry about the existence of an anxiety disorder. In which case, we should Seek medical care:
A very clear expression is call “brain fog.” When chronic worry sets in, our brain goes into survival mode… and this drains many resources. For this reason, it is normal that we start with Work on “autopilot”…to ease the heavy burden that we must bear on our shoulders. it means that we will have problems Concentrating, remembering things, taking decisions, thinking, thinking innovatively etc.
Moreover, it will also be a permanent stress Physical consequences. Faced with this perceived threat, the brain will demand more and more resources from the body. This is the body’s way of preparing for “fight.” The muscles will become tense, the pulse will become faster. will produce adrenaline and cortisol, The body will try to gather as much oxygen as possible by taking large gulps of air. And if we do not control our breathing it will lead to a feeling of lack of air or shortness of breath. asthma,
it constant stress It will also have significant physical effects. In response to a perceived threat, the brain will mobilize increasing amounts of the body’s resources. it is natural process To prepare the body for “fight”. The muscles will become tense, the pulse will speed up and adrenaline and cortisol will be released. The body will try to store as much oxygen as possible, resulting in deep, hard breaths…causing sensations of suffocation and shortness of breath that we know as dyspnea.
The worst thing is that this process can create a cycle feedback, where anxiety increases the rate of breathing, causing a sensation of suffocation. this in turn, increases anxiety, This cycle is exacerbated by other factors occurring, such as tachycardia, feeling overwhelmed and elevated adrenaline, which becomes a real condition. hell,
how to deal with dyspnea
To manage shortness of breath caused by anxiety, we must address from two fronts:Physical and Psychological:
As we mentioned earlier, when the body prepares for Dangerous situation, we store more oxygen than normal. For the same reason, but in the opposite direction, when we do excited breathing, we are telling our body to do we are facing dangerAnd due to this our body becomes stressed.
Now, for the same reason we are able Our body becomes “stressed” By speeding up the way we breathe…we can also alter our breathing to help the body relax. And how do we do this? Well, adopt more relaxation and deep breathing. For create peace And to give rest to the body, we should sit with both feet on the ground. shoulder back And the back rests completely straight on the back of the chair.
Then, we keep one hand on chest And the other on the stomach (diaphragm). We breathe in through the nose as slowly and gently as possible, trying to ensure that the hand on the chest moves as little as possible. This is the hand that’s on diaphragm Which should move while breathing. We repeat this exercise for a few minutes while trying to breathe Progressively slower.
In this psychological front, the recommendation is to practice acceptance strategies. These strategies include recognizing and allowing emotions and sensations without resistance or judgment. A useful method is to practice conscious, which does not attempt to eliminate or minimize sensations, but rather promotes awareness of what is felt in that moment. By understanding and accepting our reactions, we are able to respond in more adaptive and healthy ways, which relieves anxiety and can therefore contribute to manage dyspnea Is connected with it.