Is Anyone Good With Anxiety? What Is The Best Way Of Coping With This Sensation?

[Raidergal2022]

I don’t know how to deal with this

I do have anxiety in general which started over the past several months. However I experience a distressing sensation which only makes my anxiety worse and is hard to explain. I felt the anxiety was getting better (and this sensation was dissapearing) but last night the sensation came on and triggered it again

Basically I was in bed, feeling calm and looking for a film to watch in TV. Out of nowhere I developed the sensation which feels like I am not getting enough oxygen. My breathing rate was normal, oxygen sats normal, pulse was only 62, no dizziness so I must have been getting the oxygen. A feeling of doom and anxiety suddenly came over me because the sensation was so distressing- teh feeling of lack of air -I couldn’t tolerate it. Although I kept myself calm (my pulse stayed at 65) I was shaking and it took me 2 hours to calm down enough to sleep.

This is what occured on a frequent basis at the height of my anxiety months ago. Back then I was afraid of losing control and becoming hysterical because my breathing was not satisfying/I felt a lack of oxygen (though in reality I likely was getting enough)

I have seen my gp about this, had a chest x ray and ecg etc all was normal. I do have a fear of developing asthma as I am at high risk so am awaiting a spirometry test but the doctor/consultant don’t think it is asthma they are testing to reassure me.

I don’t know how to deal with the sensation when it comes on. It seems that the sensation triggers anxiety rather than the other way around, this is the odd thing

[Raidergal2022]

Just looked Claire weekes up from what I have read her suggestions seem to be what todays therapies/CBT recommend ie not resisting the anxiety but trying to be an observer of it and to work on exposing yourself to the things you fear etc

I can imagine it was very useful to people especially back when there was less mainstream help, think I will buy the book

[Barsel]

Patsy /// I was like a mad, hysterical woman on the phone to Doctors surgery///
I thought I was going to die and phoned 999 and told them I was going to kill myself if they didn't do something.
An ambulance was here within minutes.
I did feel a fool though when they told me at the hospital what I was experiencing.
I've been on antidepressants since then and I think I've only experienced it twice since then, but nowhere near as bad.

[Patsy33]

Aww, glad it's not just me, Barsel! It's very scary when you first experience it. I don't think I'll ever come off my A/D. They help me so much. Glad they've helped you too.