Hi! Sorry if this gets a bit ranty, it's late and I'm tired lol.
I've always been a huge hypochondriac, and in recent years it's gotten worse to the point where it's affecting my everyday life.
It was never too big of a problem, but recently my anxiety has been affecting my breathing. This happens almost any time I leave the house; either I'll hitch my breath (subconsciously), or I'll feel like I'm not getting enough air. Sometimes it even feels like I'm breathing in but no air is getting in?
When this first started happening, it would usually escalate pretty quickly and freak me out. Now that I've gotten myself to understand that it's all in my head, it doesn't scare me as much... but it's really still getting in the way of me living my life.
Any time I'm out with friends, like clockwork no matter how well the night is going my breathing will start acting up. This forces me to have to focus on myself, being short with any friends and not being able to enjoy myself.
So that's the backstory on what I'm going through. I don't know if it's just generalized anxiety causing the breathing problems, or if that's an offshoot of the hypochondria, but either way I really want to get it under control, which is why I'm posting here for advice.
Has anyone had experience with breathing problems/being obsessed with your breathing due to anxiety? What did you do to get this under control? Who could I see? I meditate almost daily which is nice, but it isn't helping with the long term.
Thanks in advance!