[alan1968]

Today I started working again and I was very anxious the whole day. The job requires a lot of physical labor but nothing to where you are expected to go so fast you wear your self out! I was curious if anxiety has ever affected anyone at work? I was working at a steady pace and I knew I was a little anxious, but I seemed to find it very hard to catch my breath while I was working which made my anxiety even worse.
I had experienced this two years ago and went in for a chest x-ray and had a pulmonary function test done. Everything came back good, so I am wondering if I am just full of stress and anxiety and it’s causing this? Has anyone experienced this?

[Parker10]

Welcome to PC ! I read your introduction and was really thrilled that you started working !! Many many times when we are anxious, we tend to hold our breath, therefore, we feel that we are having trouble getting a deep breath, or that we cannot catch our breath. Try diaphragmatic breathing, inhale thru the nose, out thru the mouth, making sure your BELLY moves more than your chest. That means that your lungs are filling to the bottom. IF you try it - and see that your chest rises more than your belly - or that your shoulders move up and down, you might want to practice while laying down to start with.......as you might get a bit dizzy if you are not used to getting appropriate oxygen exchange. And that is a definte YES to people suffering from anxiety feeling the way you describe !

[JustBen]

Good post, Parker. I don't have a serious anxiety problem myself, but I do catc myself holding my breath or breathing very shallowly in anxious situations.

[Azalysa]

Same here...good friends and family will sometimes tell me - BREATHE!!!!!

Welcome to PsychCentral and gratz on returning to work!!

[EJ711]

Alan,

Congratulations on your new job! Good for you setting a realistic pace.

I was laid off from a company I had worked for, for 17 years, four years ago. It turns out it was based on my age. Since then I have had some really strange work experiences, which have only added to my anxiety level. I started teaching four weeks ago, and wind up sweating, usually before I leave for work, but last week it was while I was lecturing. I'm chuckling as I'm writing this. What are you going to do?

Wishing you all the best,

Jane (EJ)