Overcoming Anxiety Attack Symptoms

Here’s a simple breathing exercise for coping with anxiety

There’s a lot more to say about breathing in overcoming anxiety, but for now here is a simple technique to practice. Start by doing this exercise when you are sitting comfortably and when you are not particularly anxious. Practice it a few times and take note of how it feels and how it affects your body. This is so that you can learn to trust this type of breathing. You need to know that it won’t make you feel any worse.

1. Take a normal breath in.
2. When you breathe out, try to make that breath last longer than the breath in.
3. Do this for several breaths, rhythmically.
4. Take a break.

If you find it hard to establish a rhythm with this new kind of breathing, try counting in your head.

1. Breathe in to a count of 4.
2. Breathe out to a count of 8.
3. Do this for several breaths.
4. Take a break.

If these counts are too long for you, then choose your own numbers. If you can manage longer counts, then do so. The slower and calmer your breathing becomes, the better.

Once you feel comfortable breathing like this, you can do it as often as you like. It won’t hurt you, in fact it will help you. In particular, use it when you are in a situation that is difficult for you, where you might panic or become very anxious. Start the breathing as early as possible, so that you go into the situation calmly.