Welcome to Podcast two in the ‘Your Panic Free Life’ series.

I’m wondering if you, like me, have heard it stated that panic attacks are a mental problem. Frankly, I consider this to be a very alarming claim, because there was a time when I suffered debilitating panic attacks and I certainly didn’t have a mental problem. In my case, it turned out that my panic attacks happened because I was breathing incorrectly. (It’s actually the basic cause for them) That’s right. The cause of my panic attacks was that I was breathing incorrectly. In other words, I was suffering from Chronic Habitual Hyperventilation Syndrome.

So, there are two points to consider here. The first is that hyperventilation is not a mental issue, it’s a physical problem. It has to be, because the very act of breathing is a physical function. The second point is that telling a person that they are mentally ill implies they are unable to adequately cope with life.

And there’s a third point that it is also important to consider. Because hyperventilation will never show up in any tests or examinations, hyperventilation syndrome is frequently mis-diagnosed as anxiety. Yes, breathing can seriously damage your health.

Now for the good news. As I said earlier, over thirty years ago, a dysfunctional breathing pattern caused my panic attacks. When I learned how to breathe properly, my panic attacks stopped and I haven’t had another one since. 

I’m living proof that:

*** Breathing incorrectly can seriously damage your health.

*** Breathing correctly can seriously improve your health.

For the opportunity to live Your Panic Free Life, check out Your Panic Free Life Breathing Re-Training Programme that led me from panic to recovery.