# Anxiety Disorders > Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) >  >  Needing to take really deep breaths

## L

I'm looking to see what you guys think. Overall, over the past yearish my anxiety is at an all time low, speaches, phone calls, new people and so on it is still there, but that is part of my life. 

Over the past few weeks I have had this need/feeling to take really deep breaths to the point where I can't take in any more air and kind of hold it like a yawn but not a yawn, it gives a feeling of satisfaction when achieved. I cannot always do it and when I cannot my chest and abdominal area becomes uncomfortable, not tight or painful. I don't have this feeling all the time but when I do I cannot ignore it. 

Some internet reading suggests anxiety, I don't feel physically anxious or panicky. I do have some stressful things happening at the moment but I didn't think I was anxious, not like i have experienced in the past. 

Has anyone here every felt like this? Any thoughts are welcomed.

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## Chantellabella

I know when I don't think I'm stressed, I really am. I tend to hold my breath a lot and so to get oxygen my body takes deep breaths. So maybe you're stressed, but somehow inside rather than with lots of outside symptoms

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## roel330

Hi, yep,,i do the experience that almost everyday, just the thought of it make me feel to breath very very deep..its like I need to achieve it to feel better..
and its always associated with the feeling of id like to flex or contract certain muscles in my face, neck or worst joints in my legs..I observed that it stem from a deep seated emotion (anger, fear, etc) that I want to release...I was diagnosed with anxiety disorder/OCD..

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## Antidote

Yes sometimes. It could also be asthma though... But in your case it's most likely anxiety. I went through a period where this happened all the time. I learned to counteract it by breathing more shallow and not going with the urge to take a deep breath. And overall I tried not to think about my breathing. Nowadays it doesn't happen much.

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