Do you suddenly start gasping for breath while sitting casually? Are you always “catching your breath” if something happens that disturbs you? If yes, you might have Dyspnea. It is also called “shortness of breath”. 

The only relieving thing about it is that it happens because of anxiety… not a heart problem. It can have a very bad effect on your daily life. You may spend more time thinking “when will it happen!” than focusing on anything else.

This blog post will help you grasp your symptoms more fully. You will also know how you can treat them.

Definition of Shortness of Breath

Shortness of breath, or dyspnea, is a feeling of not being able to breathe well enough. You can feel it as a tight feeling in the chest, not getting enough air, or that you are suffocating under some pressure. You may have dyspnea either too little or too much. It depends upon your anxiety.

Common Causes of Shortness of Breath

Shortness of breath can make you believe the worst i.e. a heart problem. You might not even think that it may be due to anxiety when it happens. That’s why you must be able to recognise the difference between the two “shortness of breaths.”

Anxiety-related dyspnea will come with other symptoms of anxiety: 

Fear of some danger

Too much sweating 

A pounding heartbeat 

Also, it happens whenever you face a triggering situation. Some common psychological and physical causes of dyspnea are:

Psychological Causes

Anxiety and Panic Attacks: Anxiety and panic attacks can make you hyperventilate (breathing rapidly). Fast breathing upsets the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your blood. As a result, you feel dizziness, lightheadedness, and breathlessness.

Chronic Stress and Muscle Tension: You may develop chronic muscle tension in your shoulders, neck, and chest… if you are always anxious. This tension does not let you take full, deep breaths. So, you are forced to breathe shallowly. Little by little, your oxygen intake might decrease and you may feel more breathless.

Physical Causes

Asthma: It is a chronic condition that inflames and narrows your airways. You may have wheezing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath because of that.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): It comes with many respiratory disorders, i.e. chronic bronchitis and emphysema. This disease damages your lungs and causes breathing problems.

Heart Failure: Your heart cannot pump blood effectively. This can build up fluid in your lungs that causes dyspnea.

10 Major Symptoms to Tell if Shortness of Breath is from Anxiety

• Rapid breathing or hyperventilation

• A feeling of tightness in the chest

• Dizziness or lightheadedness

• Trembling or shaking

• Increased heart rate

• Sweating on the face and hands

• Difficulty concentrating or feeling confused

• Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet

• Sudden gasping even if you haven’t been doing physical work

• Sense of a big danger coming soon

Therapeutic Treatment of Anxiety-Related Shortness of Breath

You must get help to control your anxiety-related shortness of breath to live a generally better life. There are several methods you can try.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a widely practised and evidence-based approach. It identifies and changes your negative thought patterns and behaviours.

CBT helps you to understand the connection between your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. It helps you to find out how your anxiety influences these elements.

Methods used in CBT for trauma include cognitive restructuring, which involves challenging and reframing distorted thoughts. This process helps reduce fear and avoidance behaviours, promoting recovery and resilience.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a mixture of mindfulness and meditation. It helps you control your stress and anxiety whenever you face triggering situations. MBSR allows you to think about your negative thoughts but not judge them too harshly.

It can help you become more aware of your breathing patterns, reduce stress, and make you more calm.

Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation techniques are actually designed to reduce your tension and relax you. You may go through gradual muscle relaxation, guided imagery, and autogenic methods. Relaxation techniques can help calm your nervous system and lower your heart rate.

It can also help you resolve your breathing difficulties to control your anxiety-related shortness of breath.

Breathing Exercises

Breathing exercises help you to improve breathing patterns and reduce anxiety. You may learn diaphragmatic breathing, pursed-lip breathing, and box breathing to regain control over your breath.

These exercises can manage your shortness of breath because of anxiety. It will provide immediate relief and improve your respiratory function.

Clinical Hypnotherapy

Clinical hypnotherapy is a therapeutic technique that uses hypnosis to access the subconscious mind. It helps your emotional and psychological healing. Hypnosis takes you into a trance-like state where your mind becomes more open to suggestion and introspection.

In this state, you can recognise and resolve your triggering memories, reframe negative thoughts, and release emotional pain. This method is efficient for those who have difficulty reaching out or articulating their triggering memories in a traditional therapeutic setting.

Havening Techniques

Havening Techniques are a set of psycho-sensory therapies that use touch to create a sense of safety and calm. They allow your brain to process and release traumatic memories. The method involves a gentle, soothing touch on the arms, face, and hands… combined with positive imagery and affirmations.

This process helps to deactivate the emotional response linked with anxiety-triggering memories. It reduces their effect on your psyche… and so, you can manage shortness of breath. Havening is grounded in neuroscience, specifically in understanding how the brain encodes anxiety.

How to Choose the Right Therapy?

By looking at several pointers. Although talk therapies may work for some people, Hypnotherapy and Havening work on your subconscious… where the root of the problem often lies. Hypnotherapy can change your negative thoughts and reduce subconscious triggers. That way, you can see and manage things more positively.

Here are the advantages of hypnotherapy in treating shortness of breath triggered by anxiety:

• Uses breathing techniques to manage shortness of breath

• Lowers your stress levels to reduce physical symptoms

• Reduces anxiety by relaxing you

• Resolving underlying psychological causes of anxiety

• Helps you change negative thoughts and beliefs

• Makes you more self-aware and mindful

• Provides a sense of control over your anxiety and its symptoms

• Develops positive behavioural changes

• Reduces the frequency and intensity of anxiety attacks

• Builds a sense of general well-being and inner peace

• Reduces muscle tension that comes along with anxiety

• Builds and maintains your mind-body connection for holistic recovery

In a Nutshell

Your shortness of breath might be related to anxiety. You can find out if you feel: rapid breathing, chest tightness, and dizziness. So, you must get professional help to learn how you can relax yourself. 

Hypnotherapy works great here. Your hypnotherapist will teach you different breathing methods to keep you calm whenever you start gasping for breath.

We can help you keep your anxiety at bay… here at Make It Happen Hypnotherapy (MIHH). You can control your breathing and reduce your anxiety with us. As a result, you can live a healthier life.

Ready? Book a Free Consultation today!