Many people feel that they can’t breathe properly during a panic attack or experiencing high anxiety. It may feel like you are gasping for breath or can’t get enough air into your lungs. You may also feel like you are suffocating or being smothered. You usually don’t have to think about breathing; you do it automatically. The autonomic nervous system makes sure of this.
The key to restoring your breathing to normal can calm down your nervous system.
As explained above, the sympathetic nervous system produces a “fight or flight” response during high emotions. It is trying to protect you from danger (although there is no danger there.) It is the sympathetic nervous system that causes your breathing to change. It may also speed up and cause rapid shallow breathing.
You hyperventilate. You are still breathing. Your breath has just changed rapidly, and it feels uncomfortable, but you are still living.
Having difficulty breathing is one of the most frightening symptoms of panic attacks. The critical thing to understand is that this response is due to you getting a fear response in situations where you do not need it. Your nervous system has become over sensitised.