You Can Breathe

Feeling as though you’re "Unable to Breathe" is a common anxiety symptom, whether you’re phobia is related to being at the dentist, driving, or being enclosed in a small place like an elevator. And the feeling has one source and one source only… fear thoughts.

It is difficult to think clearly when you feel panicky because you think you can’t breathe. So the first thing to do is look at the facts: you may have difficulty breathing, but you are able to breathe. Think about it. If you are aware of the change in your breathing pattern, you are conscious. If you are able to form the thought that you are not breathing as rhythmically, smoothly and automatically as you’d like to be, you are conscious. If you are conscious, you are breathing. That’s important, so I’m going to repeat it: If you are thinking, you are conscious, and if you are conscious, you are breathing.

People who are unable to breathe are unconscious, unable to monitor what’s going on with their bodies and quite incapable of conscious thought.Feeling as though you are not able to breathe, is a feeling… not a fact.When you have the thought: "I can’t breathe," replace that insecure, false notion with a secure fact: "I can breathe, I can breathe." I know it sounds very simplistic, but I assure you it does work.

The key is to throw out the fear thought, and replace it with a more calming one.Each time you think, "I can’t breathe," each thought keeps setting off your internal fear alarm, and your body responds with more tension, more anxiety, more panicky symptoms. It’s like adding fuel to an already burning fire. To douse the flames and calm down, you have to think more securely, with facts.For some of you, repeating the replacement thought "I can breathe, I can breathe," will calm you down in a few seconds.

Depending on the depth of your anxiety, you may have to repeat it several times, for it to sink in and for you to get some relief. And don’t be surprised if you feel a little better and the scary thought comes back, that’s common as well. Insecure thoughts have a way of being stronger and more persistent than secure thoughts. Especially when you’re in a fear filled situation.Each time you repeat, "I can breathe, I can breathe," to yourself, you are sending an "I am safe" message to your brain. Your brain then sends neurological messages to your body, and it will calm down automatically, maybe not as quickly as you’d like, but more quickly than if you keep saying I can’t breathe.

Whether you get short of breath or feel like you’re not getting enough oxygen when you’re just thinking about going to the dentist, in the waiting room, or in the chair, go back to the fact, "I can breathe, I can breathe." The sooner you start changing your thoughts, the sooner you’ll start feeling more calm. It takes conscious effort, but you can do it.

©1998 Rose VanSickle

Author - Peace of Body, Peace of Mind

Rose VanSickle is the author of Peace of Body, peace of Mind. Click here for more information about this remarkable book that hold the key to regaining control of your life.