How to Decrease Anxiety and Increase Your Breath

With the release of Disney’s Inside Out 2, many parents and teens are taking a hard look at anxiety and how it helps and hurts us. Over 90% of adults in the United States surveyed by Kaiser Family Foundation believe that the US is experiencing a mental health crisis. Anxiety and depression have become the dominant emotions for too many people, not unsimilar to the little girl whose anxiety takes over in Inside Out 2. But those living with a chronic lung disease are even more likely to experience anxiety, a common comorbidity.

Identifying Your Anxiety

At one point in Inside Out 2, Anxiety explains it is ‘my job is to keep her safe from things she can’t see.’ This concept may shed light on why some people with lung disease are particularly affected, they are constantly concerned about being able to get one of the basic elements our bodies need to survive: oxygen. “Depending on the type of lung disease they have, patients tell me they feel like they’re breathing through a straw or that they’re drowning. Such feelings would naturally induce panic and be enough to give anyone anxiety,” said Dr. Meilan Han, a professor of internal medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Michigan.

Dr. Han has seen many of her patients struggle with anxiety after a chronic diagnosis like COPD or asthma. For reference, anxiety is prevalent among 13% to 46% of patients with COPD. Physical challenges and demands made on a patient or caregiver when managing a lung disease may cause them to begin to see only worse-case scenarios. This worry can then become a constant companion, and lead to panic attacks which worsen breathing symptoms, for instance, causing shortness of breath. This in turn causes more anxiety and more breathing problems -- quickly becoming a vicious cycle.

Get Help Keeping Anxiety in Check

Despite these problems, one of biggest obstacles for people with anxiety is the willingness to talk to their healthcare provider. But once your doctor is aware of the problem, they will be able to work with other professionals like a counselor, psychologist or psychiatrist. These providers can help you identify coping strategies, including talk-therapy, and/or medications that can keep your stress in check.

“My patients may not tell me directly that they have anxiety. They’re more likely to say things like, “I’m afraid to leave my house because I become so short of breath, I know I’ll have to sit down,’ Dr. Han explained. This leaning toward inactivity is very common because people think that becoming less active can help them avoid COPD or asthma triggers. But this is actually very detrimental not just for your anxiety, but also for your lungs and overall health. Exercise is a well-known and effective way to improve your mental health, and learning how to control your breathing and increase your oxygen intake can strengthen your lungs long term.

Pursed lip breathing is just one of many things that pulmonary rehabilitation is why Dr. Han thinks it a great option for all patients with lung disease who qualify. Pulmonary rehab programs educate patients about their lungs and their disease, while offering professional training that allows them to learn how to lessen symptoms while increasing physical activity. “Building up endurance, strengthening breathing muscles and learning energy saving techniques significantly improves quality of life for many patients who go through the program and has been proven to reduce anxiety and depression,” she said. Additionally, classes are usually done in a group setting giving patients a chance for peer support and the ability to create a community, another way to reduce stress and keep anxiety at a manageable level.

Anxiety is Not the Villian

The moral of Inside Out 2 is to help us all understand that even difficult emotions have a role to play, anxiety among them. It is important to learn and practice skills that keep anxiety in balance, and to reach out for help if your anxiety becomes too much.  Working with your healthcare provider to find a way to manage your anxiety is a steppingstone toward total management of your lung disease and living an overall healthy and happy life.

To learn more, visit our coping with emotions page.