(Note: This article contains content related to Anxiety if you are someone you know is struggling with, Anxiety please do reach out for professional support.)
Air Hunger is a sign you are struggling with Anxiety
Air Hunger is one of the signs you are struggling with Anxiety. The term Air Hunger might sound weird, but yes, it is a sign of General Anxiety Disorder.
The reason behind Air Hunger:
Air Hunger refers to feeling breathless, and this happens because the brain tends to stimulate the Fight-or-flee system when you are in an unfamiliar situation, which makes you Hyperventilate(Over Breathe). As you tend to overbreathe, your carbon dioxide levels fall lower than needed, making you breathe more. Sighing constantly or repeatedly, feeling breathless, Dizziness, Heart Palpitations, tightness in the chest, feeling suffocated, repeated yawning, coughing, and making sounds with the mouth are frequently observed signs of Air Hunger.
Conditions that cause Air Hunger:
Claustrophobia:
Individuals dealing with Claustrophobia experience Air Hunger, as they have a fear of closed spaces. The fear would have been initiated, due to a previous traumatic event or due to hormonal issues.
Hyperthyroidism:
Individuals with Hyperthyroidism have difficulty with respiration and other bodily functioning disorders. Hyperthyroidism causes the metabolism-producing hormones to work unduly making it difficult for them by causing or being the cause of reduced respiratory drive. This state also makes them more prone to experiencing Air Hunger or breathlessness.
How to deal with Air Hunger:
Air Hunger is a sign you are struggling with Anxiety and to deal with Air Hunger one should deviate oneself, if possible go for a walk, or take a deep breath through your mouth, that reaches your stomach and slowly breathe out through your mouth and nose 3-5 times and try to come back to normal breathing. Most importantly, reaching out to a professional can help you deal with Air Hunger.