‘There’s Fear in the Air’ Series

She normally enjoyed life immensely, she loved the lifestyle she was living and thought nothing would change, it would only get better. But she slowly withdrew into a life of isolation. She was confused at the change she was thrown into. After periods of life in which she would, as she called it, have ‘mini-breakdowns’, I saw that after experiencing emotionally shock, she became temporarily paralyzed emotionally. “I thought I was having a complete nervous breakdown,’ she declared. “I fear my children thought I was unstable. I just needed time by myself to think, to reflect and to choose a direction. That luxury is difficult in the chaotic lifestyle that my life became.”

She finally worked through most of it with no help from anyone except a trusted friend, and God. She was a very brave and courageous woman, but I worried about her inability to handle minor crises. She had learned a response to stay in a fear paralyzing emotional state which affected her responses in her daily life.

The number one thing that fear does is paralyze. Normally there is a ‘fight or flight’ response in which the automatic response of the body, the sympathetic nervous system goes into high functioning mode. According to one source in Psychology Today, * taking a deep breath can unlock the sympathetic nervous system response and stimulates the working of the Vagus Nerve to encourage the ‘rest and digest’ reaction to occur.

Learn to Disconnect the Sympathetic Nervous System Response

An answer to not being able to function in a small crisis is simple. Focus on something to relieve the automatic response to feeling or being threatened. Correct breathing releases the vagus nerve action and prevents a chronic anxiety state.

There are many techniques of breathing. Most I learned from my studies in Nursing and from my fellow respiratory therapists. (My fellow partners in crime) as I would call them frequently to myself. I relied on their input and learning very much in my practice.

“Out with the old, in with the new”. I remember hearing that old idiom. I am amazed at all the applications people have used it for. From making remodeling your home, business changes, breathing techniques, thinking processes, the list goes on. But here I am talking about breathing.

There are many techniques of breathing. The way you take air in communicates many things to your brain. It is probably the #1 technique you can use to promote your health, and to get a better workout and exercise program. Over breathing, poor sleeping and sleep apnea and mouth breathing can cause severe health conditions. *

Breathing Techniques Release Anxiety

Yoga breathing techniques. I do not do yoga, although I do breathing techniques that may be used in Yoga. Yoga uses a variety of postures, breathing methods and relaxation techniques that help in stressful situations.

Use pursed lip breathing to help patients with lung disease as well as other health situations keep a proper balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen in their system. I have seen it relax a person who is in a panic mode because they do not feel they can get enough ‘air’. It helps prevent hyperventilation if performed correctly. The trick is in breathing in slowly and pursing lips as you breathe out. The technique removes the exhaled air more efficiently, opening up the ‘lung sacs’ easier.

4-7-8 method of breathing to help improve sleep. Keep your tongue touching to top of your mouth throughout the entire process. Breathe into a slow count of 4. Holding the breath for a count of 7. Breathe out through an open mouth for a count of 8. It is recommended to do this no more than 4 times in succession. Think very positive and happy thoughts. If completed correctly, the Vagus nerve relaxing system stimulates correct breathing. This is my favorite and is used when I can feel a lot of stress or think I will be exposed to stress. (I do not use this enough at work.)

For reducing high blood pressure and asthma, use the Buteyko method. * Breathing in through the nose is important in giving the correct amount of oxygen to the body. This is a fascinating way to improve your health. It has to do with training yourself to always breathe through your nose and not your mouth.

Box breathing is one method the military uses for stress reduction. You make a box in the air with your finger and breathe in and out with the finger movements.

Learn to Breathe Correctly

Breathing is important for many reasons, but the main purpose is so that you can manage your future. Taking efficient breaths is difficult when you are in pain and when you are having a panic attack. When you are in a crisis, bad breathing habits become chronic and help lead to chronic health conditions. A very good part of developing the right character during a crisis is learning to breathe right. Check out this post on other ways to develop right character.

*Source: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201405/neuroscientists-discover-the-roots-fear-evoked-freezing; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24639484/; https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1113/jphysiol.2013.268714; https://archive.org/details/pubmed-PMC4027863/mode/2up

*Note: This ‘There’s Fear in the Air’ Series helped me prepare for our recent COVID19 crisis.