Breathing

[smokingboot]

Got to go out, get some stuff done. Still sitting here.

Yesterday, when I was travelling to the hospital, it felt like I couldn't breathe at the top of my lungs. I could see the bit below my diaphragm, almost at my belly, going in and out. But when I tried to take deep breaths, my chest hurt so much I stopped.

Now it's the same. My breath seems to start in my stomach, and when I try to get more air in, my chest feels locked.

I must get on and do. The thing to do is ignore this, trying to concentrate on my breathing just makes it worse.

So now. Do.

Comments

[nyarbaggytep.livejournal.com]

There are times when deep breaths are not the right breaths. Breathing is complicated.

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

It is, isn't it? Much more than I ever imagined...

[nyarbaggytep.livejournal.com]

I remember the first time my standard "calming down" breathing didn't work. It freaked me out. I had to find a different shallower rhythm.

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

I have never given it two minutes thought. Breath control is always something I got reprimanded about in my early and quickly abandoned attempts at yoga.

This morning it is back to normal, my chest goes in and out, bit fast, bit shallow, and nowhere near the pit of my stomach. But this weirdness where my whole chest feels constricted, like something lying on top of it, and the breathing is happening lower down - yes it does freak me out a bit.

[nyarbaggytep.livejournal.com]

I think about it a lot, mostly with my work head on, but also for myself.

Any reprimands about breath are unhelpful in my experience, as it's so complicated and personal. I did a whole workshop on breathing. Lots of different exercises about what feelings are where in the cycle.

You could probably work out what the weight is, what feeling it has, who it's linked with. And what part of the breath cycle it's heaviest at, or if it is consistently heavy. If you wanted. Or you could just wait and it might well pass through.

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

It happens occasionally when I am very unhappy - once it was like a physical lead weight lying flat and pressing down on my chest. It felt like I couldn't breathe but of course I must have been, though I could not get out of my bed at all. The pain and actual physical sensation of heaviness was extraordinary. I don't know any thing about breath cycles though - it might be worth investigating, because these occurrences are rare, but unpleasant when they happen.

[nyarbaggytep.livejournal.com]

I can recommend a decent somatic therapist in London if you want one.

Thanks Baggy,

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

I would be quite interested to find out more - I don't really know what a somatic therapist is!

Re: Thanks Baggy,

[nyarbaggytep.livejournal.com]

Somatic simply means of the body - so any therapist who works with the physical integrated into the emotional.

http://www.mytherapyspace.co.uk/ - I did some training with Celia, and rate her highly.

Thank you again for more info!

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

If it doesn't go away soon, I may see what this lady charges and if possible arrange something.