[scorxn]

I was almost 30 when I had my first ever panic attack. I was alone and convinced it was a heart attack, called 911, and felt fine by the time the ambulance reached the hospital. Embarrassed, I was ready to brush it off, but instead saw a therapist for the first time. She took out a stopwatch and had me breathe through a narrow straw. Within seconds, my face and limbs went completely numb; I couldn't move, and was amazed that I could form words. I sat with my head in my hands for what felt like forever. Eventually it passed, I felt utterly exhausted, and she asked what I thought the stopwatch said. "I dunno, 10-15 minutes?" Nope, 90 seconds. That experience made me start taking my mental health seriously.

[QuercusMax]

Why did breathing through the straw cause that reaction?

[Zelphyr]

Simply breathing through a straw may not do it. My therapist had me run up and down a flight of stairs for about 30 seconds and then breathe through a straw cut down to about 3 inches while holding my nostrils closed.

Your body thinks you're not getting enough oxygen. You're getting plenty, it's just that it all coming through that tiny hole tricks your body and that triggers panic sensations. Doing that several times exposes you to those sensations and you eventually get used to it and allows you to manage more intense sensations.

[moldavi]

I'm not sure that's correct. I've heard that high CO2 levels trigger the parasympathetic nervous system which calms us down. One could get the same effect from breathing into a paper bag, I think.

[hanche]

Hmm. In the Apollo 13 movie, high CO2 levels triggered a panic/anxiety attack in one of the astronauts. (Which may not have happened, or not as severely, in reality – but that’s adifferent issue. For one, astronauts are trained not to panic.) A quick google seems to confirm this. As for breathing in a paper bag, I believe that is one common way to deal with hyperventilation, which may also induce anxiety and thus lead to more of the same.

[peteretep]

Maybe relevant

> Klein is a professor of psychiatry who studies the delightful field of “experimental panicogens”, ie chemicals that cause panic attacks if you inject them in someone. These include lactate, bicarbonate, and carbon dioxide, all of which naturally occur in the body under conditions of decreased respiration.

https://slatestarcodex.com/2017/04/05/the-case-of-the-suffoc...

[ineedasername]

Isn't that the basic outline of a Batman villain? He could be one professional setback away from becoming the Scarecrow.

[taneq]

My first thought too, this guy is basically Scarecrow before the incident.

[sooheon]

Try breathing through a straw (or two put together) just after your heart rate's been raised (i.e. via exercise). It's very anxiety inducing.

[Sargos]

What did she do after the straw demonstration? Did she have something to help or she just wanted you to know what it feels like?

[gccs]

That is a very interesting event. Its like she knew exactly what was going to happen to you. The stopwatch and everything.

[alisonkisk]

Of course the therapist knew. It would be horrible healthcare to do that to someone without a reason.

It is also unethical to do it to with a reason, without explaining the risks first.