Shortness of Breath May Be a Sign of Panic Attack!

If you feel that you are not breathing adequately, that you are suffocating, especially in crowded places, and this is triggered particularly during stressful periods, pay attention! You may be experiencing shortness of breath / air hunger caused by anxiety.

Breathing, which is essential for the continuation of our biological existence, is also the basic indicator of vitality. Life is the time between the first breath and the last. Unfortunately, shortness of breath, also known as air hunger due to anxiety, reduces a person's quality of life.

We spoke with the Psychiatry Specialists at Hisar Hospital Intercontinental about air hunger, one of the important symptoms of anxiety…

In our daily lives there are dozens of expressions related to breathing, such as feeling one's breath tighten, taking a deep breath, being out of breath, not letting someone catch their breath, wasting breath in vain, and having one's breath cut off. Just like our heartbeat, blood pressure and bowel movements, our breathing is controlled by the base of our brain (brainstem). Under normal conditions, we are unaware of these functions that our body carries out on its own. However, some mental illnesses lead to dysfunction or changes in perception related to our breathing.

What Is Anxiety?

Shortness of breath / air hunger is one of the important symptoms of anxiety disorders, the most common group of mental illnesses today. In fact, the word "Anxios" means "to constrict, to choke." Many patients suffer from being unable to breathe deeply and fully as before, and from a feeling of pressure in the chest and a lump in the throat.’

Anxiety is most often confused with and compared to worry. While worry has a known cause, such as an exam, anxiety is seen as a product of suppressed psychological conflicts. It is an unpleasant emotional state mixing apprehension, restlessness and fear. Although anxiety is basically an emotional state, it also has physical, cognitive and behavioral aspects. Palpitations, shortness of breath, sweating, trembling, dizziness, muscle pain/tension and dilation of the pupils are its physical symptoms. It can cognitively cause catastrophic thoughts, worries and obsessive thoughts. Behaviorally, physical restlessness, obsessive or repetitive behaviors, seeking help, or avoidance (of situations) may be seen.

The Famous Panic Attack

The best-known of the anxiety disorders, panic attack is the intense and noisy form of anxiety. Unexpected panic attacks and the expectation that these attacks will recur are its main symptoms. During a panic attack, the emotional, physical and cognitive findings of anxiety appear. Palpitations, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, feeling of choking, chest pain, nausea/abdominal pain, dizziness/lightheadedness, numbness, loss of control (going crazy) or fear of dying may be seen. Usually quite exhausting and worrying, this condition is related to anxiety being felt in its raw and severe form. People may sometimes perceive themselves and their surroundings differently. This usually lasts about 10-15 minutes.

One of the important and difficult aspects of panic attacks is that, although they recur, one cannot get used to them. Life problems and stress factors trigger the onset of panic attacks. Those who have a panic attack immediately consult a physician. They think they have a problem with the heart or chest wall. Palpitations and shortness of breath are the symptoms that frighten patients the most. Anxiety does not only manifest through panic attacks. Diseases such as fibromyalgia, gastritis, irritable bowel syndrome and migraine may begin with anxiety or worsen. Obsessive-compulsive disorder, hypochondriasis (illness anxiety disorder) and phobias are included in the anxiety disorders group.

Air Hunger

Patients with anxiety disorder go to non-psychiatric departments because of their physical symptoms. After tests, it becomes clear that the condition is psychological. Sometimes the symptoms are not obvious. Vague complaints such as persistent restlessness, distress, being unable to stay in one place for long or being unable to sustain an activity are seen. Some patients suffer only from air hunger that increases with restlessness. From time to time, they feel a need to take a deep breath, believing they are out of breath. They feel constricted in crowds and enclosed spaces.

Being unable to take deep and satisfying breaths, increased attention to breathing and self-monitoring may also point to an underlying anxiety disorder. Usually, stress factors that disturb the person or co-occurring mental illnesses such as depression are identified. If the patient accepts their condition, treatment succeeds in a shorter time.