Are anxiety and panic common in people with COPD, or am I the only one?
Yes, anxiety and panic are common in people with COPD, and no, you’re definitely not the only one! In fact, having some degree of anxiety means that you’re human and react like a normal human being.
Here are some examples of experiences of some people with COPD who have had problems with anxiety and/or panic. Their names have been changed.
Panic and anxiety are feelings I have when I can't catch my breath. Then I begin to tense up, feeling overwhelmed, jittery, and very nervous.
Doug
I am sad, worried, and live in fear every day. I fear getting up each morning because I am fearful of feeling not well again. The more breathless and anxious I feel, the more I notice myself holding my breath.
Joan
They say that exercise helps, but the thought of exercising makes me more breathless, which in turn makes it harder for me to manage my life. I feel isolated and trapped in a body that doesn’t work.
Marie
I wake up in the middle of the night with panicky feelings and have a hard time falling asleep.
Bob
It’s easy to see that the outward signs of anxiety and panic are not the same for everybody, even though having COPD brings on challenges, doubts, and fears many people share. And once an episode of anxiety and/or panic has happened, everybody holds these experiences in their memories differently. This sets up different expectations and concerns about the next time it might happen.
For example, two people with the same degree of shortness of breath (SOB), may differ on how much it bothers them. One person might say, “I am having trouble breathing.” Somebody else may be thinking, “I will die of suffocation.”
One might remember it simply as an uncomfortable experience, a nuisance that can be managed. Another may remember it as, “I felt I was going to die, and I never want to go through that again!”
Here are some things you can do if you have panic and anxiety with COPD:
- Make sure you and your doctor have ruled out physical causes other than COPD, which can sometimes trigger feelings of panic and anxiety.
- Learn correct breathing techniques along with relaxation techniques and other stress relievers.
- Ask for help – this may mean talking with an understanding friend, talking with your doctor about trying a medication, or talking about your anxiety with a counselor in that field.
- If you have anxiety and/or panic, there is no shame in admitting it and asking for help. When you need it, is the wise thing to do.
For sure… anxiety and panic are common in people with COPD. But the way they show up, the effects they have emotionally and physically – and the memories of those episodes can be different for each of us. This is a lot to take in. And that’s why we’re here. To help you know you’re not alone and that there is help and hope. Thoughts?