Anxiety Controlling Techniques

 "Does anxiety make you feel like you don’t know how to breathe? Discover why it happens, why focusing on your breath can increase anxiety, and 5 practical steps to break free from the cycle of breathing anxiety."

Can Anxiety Make You Feel Like You Don’t Know How to Breathe? Have you ever had difficulty breathing at some moment in life? For many people struggling with anxiety, this terrifying experience is all too familiar. 

The truth is, anxiety can make breathing feel unnatural, even though your body is working perfectly fine. Let’s explore why this happens and why focusing on your breath sometimes makes things worse. Let's explore the five steps you can take to treat breathing anxiety.

 Why Does Anxiety Make Breathing Feel Difficult? When anxiety strikes, your body goes into fight-or-flight mode. Your breathing becomes shallow, rapid, and uneven. Instead of letting your diaphragm do the work, you start breathing from your chest.

That’s when the mind begins racing:

• “I can’t breathe right.”
• “What if I never get this?”
• “Something must be seriously wrong.”

These thoughts intensify the physical sensations, creating a vicious cycle where anxiety fuels more breathing trouble and breathing trouble fuels more anxiety.

  Does Focusing on Breathing Make You More Anxious?

Interestingly, for many people, the very act of paying attention to breathing makes them feel more anxious. Why?

Because the moment you try to control your breath, self-doubt comes in:

• “I’m not doing this right.”
• “I’ll never be able to relax.”
• “Why can’t I take a full deep breath?”

This hyper-awareness can feel overwhelming and even depressing, like you’re trapped in a problem you can’t solve. But here’s the truth: your body knows how to breathe without your help. The key is to stop fighting the sensation and retrain your mind with healthier strategies.

 5 Steps to Treat Breathing Anxiety

Step 1: Stop Forcing Your Breath

The first step is acceptance. Remind yourself:

    “My body knows how to breathe. I don’t have to control it.”

This alone lowers the tension and pressure you put on yourself.

 Step 2: Try Grounding Exercises Instead 

If focusing on your breath makes you panic, shift attention elsewhere. Grounding pulls you back into the present moment. Try:

• Pressing your feet firmly into the floor.
• Looking for 3 objects of the same color in the room.
• Name 5 things you can hear right now.

By by fixing your mind in reality, you calm your body without obsessing over breathing.

 Step 3: Practice Breathing When You’re Calm

Don’t wait until you’re in the middle of a panic attack to practice. Learn breathing techniques when you’re relatively calm or mildly anxious. This way, your body associates them with safety, not struggle.

Remember: You don’t need to do them “perfectly.” Even imperfect breathing exercises can help reduce panic.

 

Step 4: Separate Feelings from Thoughts

That tight chest or shallow breath is uncomfortable, but it’s not dangerous. Instead of spiraling into thoughts like

• “What’s wrong with me?”
• “Am I going to die?”

Reframe it:
 “I’ve had this feeling before. It’s uncomfortable, but I’m okay.”

This shift in perspective takes away the power anxiety has over your breath.

 

Step 5: Break the Cycle of Fear

Breathing anxiety often creates a repeating cycle:

1. Anxiety makes breathing hard.
2. You try to fix it but feel worse.
3. You panic more and avoid breathing techniques.

To break this cycle, focus on acceptance over perfection. Your body immediately resets when you stop making it urgent or life-threatening.

Meditation Can Also Help in Reducing Anxiety:

If breath-focused meditation feels too difficult, start with guided meditations that emphasize grounding, relaxation, or visualization. Apps like Aura, Calm, or Headspace can gently train your mind to relax without activating breathing anxiety.