Feeling like I'm suffocating
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| Mon, 04-03-2006 - 3:56pm |
Some of y'all might know that the primary source of my anxiety is my job and I tend to experience physical symptoms while at work (panic attacks, dizziness, tension headaches, etc.). Lately, I've been feeling like I'm going to suffocate. I can't decide if it's:
(A) Because I'm hot natured and it's stuffy in here
--entirely possible since I feel this way at home sometimes and I'm very sensitive to temperature
--somewhat unlikely since everyone else is either comfortable or cold
(B) Another manifestation of my anxiety
--entirely possible since I experience everything physically
I can't decide which it is. I'm leaning toward a combination of both, heavily on option B. I have access to an outside door behind my desk, so I've tried opening the door to let in some fresh air. It only helps slightly, which is why I think this is psychological more than anything else.
Laura


Hey, Jan. That's very interesting that the mental health community recognizes this suffocation feeling. I always thought I was alone in this. Isn't that weird how we each think we're the only ones who feel a certain way? LOL. It's a very bizarre feeling. I don't know that I can describe it to anyone who hasn't felt it, but my skin feels hot and it's hard to breathe because it feels like a weight is sitting on top of my chest. And there isn't any air to breathe anyway because I feel like I'm buried alive with no ventilation.
This is only the beginning of the 2nd week without therapy. I won't have a session until April 20th. Good so far in that I haven't had any panic attacks (I don't count the suffocation feelings) or nosedives with my mood. Of course, it helped that my birthday was last week. Now that it's back to the old routine, we'll see. I do what I always do--which is to try not to think too hard about any of the things that upset me because once I start thinking about them I can't stop. The therapist says that I avoid feelings and that I'm bottling everything up. True--but I see it as self preservation. If doing what I'm doing is what keeps me getting out of bed every morning, then that's fine by me.
I will definitely discuss the suffocation thing when I go back because it--along with the tension headaches--has recently cropped up.
Laura
Hi Laura, for me it is the claustophobic feeling that comes with no air from outside.
Sheri Ann