When Deep Breathing Backfires
In grad school, I was giving a presentation on techniques therapists can use to stay calm during tense couples therapy sessions. At the time, public speaking was up there with being chased by a lion on the scale of things I was afraid of, and my body was reacting accordingly. Most notably, it became so difficult to breathe that my words started coming out in the register of Mickey Mouse. And the more I tried to breathe normally, the harder it became. Squeaking and hyperventilating, I can’t imagine my message about how to ground and self-soothe was very convincing to my classmates.
In moments of high stress, our brains tend not to be our best friends. During the presentation, my brain was screaming, “Breathe! Breathe!” And that just exacerbated my panic and sense of urgency, ultimately making it even harder to breathe.
As it turns out, trying to force deep breaths during acute anxiety is often counterproductive. This is because hyperventilation, or rapid breathing, a common side effect of being in fight-or-flight, can cause the body to expel carbon dioxide more quickly than normal. The resulting drop in carbon dioxide can lead to symptoms such as dizziness, chest tightness, a pounding heartbeat, and shortness of breath.
Now you’re stuck in a feedback loop. Rapid breathing causes physical symptoms that signal to your brain that you’re in danger, which leads to more rapid breathing, and so on. Trying to force deep breaths when you’re already depleted of carbon dioxide can unintentionally make the problem worse.
Luckily, there is a way to interrupt this cycle.
“Points of Contact” is a grounding technique in which you focus your attention on where your body comes into contact with a steady surface. This could be noticing your feet on the ground, your back against a chair, your hands on a desk, or your forearms on an armrest. Even just holding your own hand (ironically, one of the tips I was trying to communicate during my presentation but had not yet practiced myself), noticing where one leg or ankle is crossed over the other, or feeling your palms resting on top of your thighs can help activate the brain’s proprioceptive map and reorient you to your body and the present moment.
As attention shifts back to the present moment, the nervous system receives the message that you are here and safe. Once the body begins to settle, it becomes much easier and more productive to focus on taking calming breaths.
The beauty of Points of Contact is that it can be practiced anywhere, at any time. If you’d like to get a sense of how it works, here is a brief exercise you can try:
Sit in a chair with your legs uncrossed, feet on the ground, and palms face down on the tops of your thighs. Your body is upright and relaxed. Your back is in contact with the back of the chair. You may close your eyes, soften your gaze, or keep your eyes open.
Become aware of your body in the chair. Feel the weight of your body pressing down against the seat.
Now bring your attention to your feet. Notice how the ground feels underneath them. You are not changing anything or intentionally pressing down. You are just noticing how gravity is working to connect your feet to the ground.
Move your focus up your legs and pause on the sensation of the backs of your thighs and buttocks against the seat of the chair. Notice again the weight of your body here.
Shift your attention to where your back comes into contact with the back of the chair. Notice how your body feels being supported by the chair.
Next, move your attention to how your hands feel resting on your legs. Notice the sensation of the weight of your hands and the feeling beneath each finger pad. If your arms are in contact with the armrests, notice these points of contact as well.
Finally, take a moment to feel each point of contact together as one sensation of being connected to and supported by something steady and reliable.
Points of Contact is just one of many grounding strategies that can be used during moments of acute anxiety. A great way to find what works best for you is to try different methods in daily life when experiencing lower levels of stress and see what is most effective.
