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Fear of Mental Illness

17 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1153

CM,

One of our main goals in helping you get better is to help you challenge your anxious thoughts. When you are ready again, we encourage you to get yourself in a comfortable position (siting on the sofa, lying down in bed, etc) and give the breathing exercises another try. If you are feeling light headed, try to take a bit more shallow of a breath.

As some of the other members have said; breathing is often the initial trigger for a panic attack so it's important to learn how to control it and become comfortable with your breathing.

Brenna, Bilingual Health Educator

17 years ago 0 +0 / -0 778

This is a topic so close to my heart . CM yes i have felt really bad when i pratice my breathing . Infact when i first tried months ago it made me feel ten times worse

. It still does sometimes now but i grit my teeth and try my hardest . Not for very long but i do try every day .

I had a majour panic attack last week , one of my biggest to date . The breathing helped me alot even though i took diazapam as well but that was because my teeth were clashing so hard . Tai chi , ive said before that i wouldnt mind giving that a shot some day . Does that help you very much ?

17 years ago 0 +0 / -0 477

Hello CM,

I always found breathing exercises uncomfortable and gave up on them... but I realize that not breathing right is THE problem for me. I still have not gained courage to try again... but thinking of trying again soon.. some how. I will let you know when I find a comfortable one.

17 years ago 0 +0 / -0 151

Hi Ya Diva:

Thanks for your reply, but as I said to Brenna it has frightened me so much at this stage I won't be practicing it again.

17 years ago 0 +0 / -0 151

Hi Ya Brenna:

Thanks for your reply. I understand what you are saying is the reason but it still frightens the wits out of me & at this point I don't want to practice it. Can someone not pass out trying to do this abdominal breathing?

I think for now I will stick to my Tai Chi.

17 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2101

Hiya Cm,

I think your reaction is normal. At first it is hard to practice proper breathing and can make thinks scary but with practice it becomes a great tool. Anyway, sorryI cannot be more helpful.

17 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1153

CM,

A lot of people experience a light headed sensation when they are doing breathing exercises. For some it is the high volume of oxygen that they are taking in which can cause this feeling. For others, just focusing on their breathing and heart beat can cause a little bit of anxiety and thus the light head feeling.

We encourage you to keep on practicing this type of breathing and using it as a calming technique.

Members,

Please offer your suggestions to help CM.

Brenna, Bilingual Health Educator

17 years ago 0 +0 / -0 151

Hi Ya Breanne:

I was practicing the abdominal breathing last night. In for 4, hold for 4, out for 6 then 2 normal breaths in between. I continued this sequence for 5 minutes or I thought I did until I heard a noise outside that startled me & then at that point I didn't even know what time it was day or night. I felt very strange & it frightened me.

I don't know whether I forgot to do the 2 normal breaths in between or since it was the first time I was practicing the breaths in/hold for 4 and out for5 minutes that I got a bit light headed.

I was wondering if anyone else ever had this reaction. I am not going to do this type of breathing again as I don't want to feel like that again.

17 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1693

cadenmccallum,

I'm glad to hear that you've been practising abdominal breathing. I hope you are finding it to be helpful. Tai Chi also sounds like a great way to relax. It's great that you found an activity that you love to do and that you find beneficial.

Good luck with your new social worker, let us know how it goes,

Breanne, Bilingual Health Educator

17 years ago 0 +0 / -0 151

Hi Ya Faryal:

Thanks for your advice, I have been practicing abdominal breathing for about a week now. I do it twice a day for 3 minutes each time. I afraid I'm not good with the visualization though. I did try it with my social worker and she gave me a relaxation CD, but I can't seem to get into it.

I have taken a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction course last year and have tried doing the body scan and walking meditation but find I get more anxious so I have stopped doing that.

The one thing that really seems to calm me and stop all the racing thoughts is Tai Chi, it's so relaxing and I love doing it.

As for my diet I eat way too many sweets, but was recently diagnosed with a kidney stone and now am only allowed to eat 1 chocolate bar a day. I didn't have too bad a day today and am finding that I am having at least some good days compared to 6 weeks ago when I just had my surgery. Sounds really strange though when I am not feeling anxious or panicky I feel as if something is wrong.

I am meeting with a new social worker tomorrow who treats this disorder on a lot of different levels she really sounds good.

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