Memories causing 'hard time' breathing.?!


Question: Memories causing 'hard time' breathing!.!?
Sometimes when i think back to my childhood, or something reminds me and gives me a deja-vu feeling, i start having trouble breathing, my chest doesnt feel heavy or anything, it almost feels like im breathing through a thick filter!.!.!.

btw i had a normal childhood, and its mostly when i remember happy moments!.!.

Why the heck does this happen and does it happen to anyone else!?Www@Answer-Health@Com


Answers:
It sounds to me like you have either a PTSD(post traumatic stress disorder)or anxiety!.Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an emotional illness that develops as a result of a terribly frightening, life-threatening, or otherwise highly unsafe experience!. PTSD sufferers re-experience the traumatic event or events in some way, tend to avoid places, people, or other things that remind them of the event (avoidance), and are exquisitely sensitive to normal life experiences (hyperarousal)!. Although this condition has likely existed since human beings have endured trauma, PTSD has only been recognized as a formal diagnosis since 1980!. However, it was called by different names as early as the American Civil War, when combat veterans were referred to as suffering from "soldier's heart!." In World War I, symptoms that were generally consistent with PTSD were referred to as "combat fatigue!." Soldiers who developed such symptoms in World War II were said to be suffering from "gross stress reaction," and many who fought in Vietnam who had symptoms of what is now called PTSD were assessed as having "post-Vietnam syndrome!." PTSD has also been called "battle fatigue" and "shell shock!." Complex posttraumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD) usually results from prolonged exposure to a traumatic event or series thereof and is characterized by long-lasting problems with many aspects of emotional and social functioning!.

Approximately 7%-8% of people in the United States will likely develop PTSD in their lifetime, with the lifetime occurrence (prevalence) in combat veterans and rape victims ranging from 10% to as high as 30%!. Somewhat higher rates of this disorder have been found to occur in African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans compared to Caucasians in the United States!. Some of that difference is thought to be due to higher rates of dissociation soon before and after the traumatic event (peritraumatic); a tendency for individuals from minority ethnic groups to blame themselves, have less social support, and an increased perception of racism for those ethnic groups; as well as differences between how ethnic groups may express distress!. Other important facts about PTSD include the estimate of 5 million people who suffer from PTSD at any one time in the United States and the fact that women are twice as likely to develop PTSD as men!.

Almost half of individuals who use outpatient mental-health services have been found to suffer from PTSD!. As evidenced by the occurrence of stress in many individuals in the United States in the days following the 2001 terrorist attacks, not being physically present at a traumatic event does not guarantee that one cannot suffer from traumatic stress that can lead to the development of PTSD!.

PTSD statistics in children and teens reveal that up to more than 40% have endured at least one traumatic event, resulting in the development of PTSD in up to 15% of girls and 6% of boys!. On average, 3%-6% of high school students in the United States and as many as 30%-60% of children who have survived specific disasters have PTSD!. Up to 100% of children who have seen a parent killed or endured sexual assault or abuse tend to develop PTSD, and more than one-third of youths who are exposed to community violence will suffer from the disorder!.Anxiety affects our whole being!. It affects how we feel, how we behave and has very real physical symptoms!.

It feels a bit like fear but whereas we know what we are frightened of, we often don't know what we are anxious about!.

Mild anxiety is vague and unsettling - severe anxiety can be extremely debilitating!.

WHAT CAUSES ANXIETY!?

Anxiety is often triggered by stress in our lives!. Some of us are more vulnerable to anxiety than others, but even those who become anxious easily can learn to manage it well!. We can also make ourselves anxious with "negative self-talk" - a habit of always telling ourselves the worst will happen!.

HOW WILL I RECOGNIZE ANXIETY!?

As well as feeling apprehensive and worried (possibly without knowing why), you may experience some of the following physical symptoms:

-- Tense muscles

-- Trembling

-- Churning stomach

-- Nausea

-- Diarrhoea

-- Headache

-- Backache

-- Heart palpitations

-- Numbness or "pins and needles" in arms, hands or legs

-- Sweating/flushing

It is easy to mistake symptoms of anxiety for physical illness and become worried that you might be suffering a heart attack or stroke!. This of course increases anxiety!.

WHEN IS ANXIETY A PROBLEM!?

We all become anxious from time to time!. It becomes a problem when it interferes with life in the absence of real threat, or goes on too long after the danger has past!.

WHAT IF I JUST AVOID THE THINGS THAT MAKE ME ANXIOUS!?

Avoiding situations that make you anxious might help you feel better in the short term!. The trouble is the anxiety keeps returning, and has a habit of spreading to other situations!. This can lead to you avoiding things like shops, crowded places, lectures or tutorials!. So although avoidance makes you feel better -

-- Relief is only temporary - you may worry about what will happen next time!.

-- Every time you avoid something it is harder next time you try to face it!.

-- Gradually you want to avoid more and more things!.

OK, SO WHAT ELSE CAN I DO TO FEEL BETTER!? -- Learn to manage stress in your life!. Keep an eye on pressures and deadlines and make a commitment to taking time out from study or work!.

-- Learn a variety of relaxation techniques!. Physical relaxation methods and meditation techniques really do help!. We have some relaxation tapes at Student Counseling that will help you get started!. Health food shops also sell a variety of relaxation tapes!.

-- Look after your physical self!. Eat healthily, get regular exercise and try to keep a regular sleep pattern!. Avoid alcohol, cannabis and junk food!.

-- Practice deep abdominal breathing!. This consists of breathing in deeply and slowly through your nose, taking the air right down to you abdomen!. Visualize the air traveling right down to your abdomen and say the word "calm" to yourself as you breathe in!. Then breathe out slowly and gently through your mouth!. As you breathe out visualize the stress and tension leaving your body with your breath and think the word "relax!." Deliberately let your muscles go floppy as you breathe out!. Take three deep breaths at a time!. If you breathe deeply for too long you may feel dizzy from the extra oxygen!. You can repeat the three breaths after a short time of breathing normally!.

-- Learn to replace "negative self talk" with "coping self talk!." When you catch yourself thinking something negative like "I can't do this, it's just too hard," try to change it to something more positive, like "This is hard but I can get through it!." It can be helpful to think of "changing the tape" that runs through your mind!. It is useful to make a list of the negative thoughts you often have and write a list of positive, believable thoughts to replace them!.

Anxiety can be exhausting and debilitating!. Don't suffer alone for too long!. It often helps to talk to a Counselor or Psychologist, who can help you find ways to deal with stress in your life and teach you skills to manage anxiety!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

Might be an anxiety or panic attack!.!.!.describe it to your doctor and/or therapist!. Try to think about the moment when it happens and if you can write down what kinds of thoughts about your childhood bring this on!. This can help your doctor or therapist help you!. If you can't write it down!.!.!.record it in a little recorder and just talk about it!. I think there are different kinds of anxiety/panic attacks!. Some people have fears and phobias associated with things that brings on attacks that make it difficult to breathe!. Therapy and some medications can help people learn to cope with these in some cases!. I have some recent problems with fears from a recent traumatic experience!. So I kind of understand what you are talking about!. I also have seen people have the trouble breathing brought on by panic attacks!. Get checked out by your doctor!. Your doctor can make the necessary referrals!.
Peace!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

Maybe a panic attack!? Ask your doctor!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

dang, person above me got best answer!.Www@Answer-Health@Com





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