I know that I was never more scared in my life then when that happened to me...Its terrible..Its like you just cant inhale a full breath. Just sort of enough to keep you alive sort of thing..Then I panicked and it just made it worse..It does pass believe it or not. And I found that if I tried to ignore it, just didnt sit there and concentrate on it, and got busy doing something else, it would pass. Who knows all the real reasons why this happens..Here is one the best articles Ive found on it..
Diaphragmatic Breathing
It is common for people to stop breathing properly when they quit smoking. They begin to breathe shallowly from the top of their lungs. Shallow breathing causes stale air to remain in the bottom of the lungs. Also it causes an imbalance between the carbon dioxide and oxygen in our system. This condition is hyperventilation and can result in symptoms similar to an anxiety or panic attack.
Diaphragmatic breathing is also very beneficial if you suffer from Panic Attacks or General Anxiety. Learning how to breathe from your diaphragm is very beneficial in overcoming the symptoms that develop from the shallow chest breathing which occurs during a panic attack and when you are experiencing anxiety.
If you breathe shallowly or actually are hyperventilating you may experience several, if not all of these symptoms:
lightheadedness
dizziness
feelings of unreality
shortness of breath
trembling
tingling in your hands, feet and lips
What's happening to you is that by "overbreathing" you are exhaling too much carbon dioxide in relation to the amount of oxygen in your body. Note that these symptoms are some of the very same ones that you experience during a panic attack. So, if you do suffer from panic attacks then these symptoms which mimic a panic attack can actually lead to one. People who are generally anxious but don't suffer from panic attacks will feel these same symptoms but to a lesser extent.
The traditional cure for hyperventilating is to breath into a paper bag. This actually does work by breathing back in the carbon dioxide that you exhale into the bag and restoring the carbon dioxide/oxygen balance in your system. BUT, because it's not always appropriate to put a bag on your face in public, learning the diaphragmatic breat
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