I get so stressed sometimes I forget to breathe …
We have forgotten how to breathe – the proper way that is. Deep breaths with intention and power that actually allows oxygen into our lungs. The breaths that we use to take as babies and when we sat outside on the grass in the sunshine as a child. It takes a lot of practice to get it right. Apparently it starts – nose in, go all the way down to your belly (you should be able to feel the belly muscle expand) and then back out. And this Tai Chi teacher I met last year said she even mastered the ability to harness the energy of her breath back out through her spinal cord to complete the cycle.
Recently I worked out that I have forgotten how to breathe. With all my daily stressors, from work and home, – I take shallow breaths. At times I will suddenly click that I have even stopped “breathing”. Not like I would be gasping for air like a fish out of water – but it was noticeable that I had just taken small shallow breaths for a period of time. And how long was that period? I cannot even say.
Shallow breaths start at the nose and end at the chest. One third the journey that a proper breath should be making. In that, the body does not get its full intake of oxygen and the blood stream.
DEEP BREATHS = 1. Better detoxification process for body; body is more efficient at releasing toxins. When you inhale and exhale deeply, the body releases carbon dioxide, and along with it many toxins. 2. It reminds the body that it is NOT in a stressed environment.
BUT more to breathing – it would help her – I wish she would let me (or anyone else) teach her HOW to use Breathing as a technique to help her when she gets her panic/anxiety attacks.
When it got bad and she had panic attacks, she would be in a crouching position, frozen, and not be able to move. On the grass, in the middle of the school oval, anywhere, until we picked her up and helped her walk back to the car. If we were out shopping, she would literally need to go home immediately .. She sometimes refers to it as “Mr Anxiety” – an endearing term to de-personalize the experience.
Now that she is in a slightly better space, she verbally lets me know she is experiencing an attack, gets fidgety and sets about to either annoy me with gentle whacks and/or pokes my arms or my face. Whilst I am irritated that I get used as her “slapping board” I guess she is at least .. letting it out. I know Deep Breathing will not resolve her issues but it is a Tool – one that I am sure the DBT course teaches people with BPD. But alas she is stubborn and will not undertake any treatment at the moment.
The ART OF BREATHING is something we have forgotten – as well as the art of laying still like vegetables .. Be a Broccoli for a day and take deep breaths.
Pericardium Honesty 