Forgetting to breathe

[Grainy]

Could this be [yet] another symptom of ADD? I sometimes forget to breathe. I know that sounds weird. And I don’t believe I do it in stressful situations. I just got diagnosed a couple of weeks ago, so I’m trying to pay attention to some of my behaviour (I’m not really hyperactive, more of an inattentive type) and it just occurred to me that my “forgetting” to breathe could be because I’m literally too immersed in what I’m doing (e.g. walking down a busy street and being bombarded with visual imput) that I find myself not bothering to take a new breath.

Anyone else experience this? It just seems so whack-o… and might be something that could ring a bell with one of you. Or perhaps Dr. Jain wants to chime in.

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[Tiddler]

I don’t forget to breathe, but I do find it impossible to breathe properly when I’m trying to ‘think about my breathing’ and I could never do it in yoga classes (where I used to giggle and do rather badly) nor could I do it when I was being ‘helped with my anxiety’ by various health visitors/counsellors etc. But maybe that’s because I’ve got asthma? I don’t know.

And, this is really sad, but I’ll admit it anyway. i used to think that I didn’t deserve as much oxygen as other people when I was little so I used to sit in my room and take really shallow breaths so as I didn’t use up too much.

I wasn’t badly treated as a child so i think it was a symptom of my low self esteem caused by adhd.

This thing is pretty far reaching I suppose.

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[Tiddler]

LOL I got an error message just then: Slow down. You move too fast. I got impatient hitting the send button.

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[Tiddler]

LOL I got an error message just then: Slow down. You move too fast. I got impatient hitting the send button.

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[Tiddler]

Oops/ That’s embarrassing. I’ll stop ruining your thread now. Sorry about the overload!

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[Anonymous]

YES!! I was actually trying to explain this to my husband today! I often forget to breathe and blink when I’m concentrating – this was especially bad when i was in orchestra as a kid, sometimes I thought i went entire songs without doing either! I also actually will forget to go to the bathroom for, like, 14 hours straight. My husband was saying that stuff didn’t make sense because you can’t just FORGET to breathe, it’s involuntary! Um, well, please tell that to the breathey/blinkey/hey-bladder-is-full part of the brain because it forgets all the time!

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[Anonymous]

Tiddler – interesting. I found that part of the eating disorder I used to struggle with is that I was REALLY upset by taking up too much space. I think there was a similar mindset there – I don’t deserve to take up space and also I don’t want people to notice me because I’m dysfunctional, etc.

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[Anonymous]

OMG!! Twilightfades, to see someone else that forgets to breathe, blink and take bathroom breaks… this is amazing to me. In a job previous to the one I have now I found myself so often “forgetting to breathe” especially when my boss was talking to me or inquiring about a task that one time when she finished I breathed, perhaps a little too obviously, and she asked “did you just sigh?!” I had to try to explain that I just hold my breath when I concentrate. I also rarely blink when working at the computer, not a good thing I know. I work at a screenprinting store and trying to scan the computer for the font that I am specifically looking for can take ME a few minutes, but if I have to SHOW a customer the choices is absolutely painstakingly difficult! I feel like I am in quicksand. I also can’t tell you how many times at the end of the work day clocking out I realize I didn’t even go to the bathroom all day…

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[Grainy]

This is just too funny… but also validating to see that these various behaviours (or lack of them!) could be something we ADDers do. I also sometimes put off going to pee. The back forty of my brain seems to sense it, but I’ll tell myself, “I’ll go soon. Just want to get a bit more work done.” Those of you who read the blog entry of July 20/11 (about not wanting to have bowel movements in childhood) will have nodded vigorously. It was an Aha! moment for me, because until about the age of 5 or 6 I would hold my bowels. I think my late mother probably had ADD. And one of the things she would do was rush into the house after a day at her office, saying “Just a minute! I just need to go to the bathroom (i.e. to pee)!” I would ask her, “Why didn’t you go all day at work?” and she’d reply that she didn’t have time. But of course, most people CAN find the time. It’s just us ADDers either hyper-focussing on something else, or don’t wanting to break away from a task once we’re on a roll.

On a different note: This is the very first time in my life that I’ve ever participated in a forum, and I have to say, it is such a kick! After starting this topic, I couldn’t wait until I could log in again and see whether anyone responded. Thanks, guys!

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[Grainy]

… and another thing: I also procrastinate on getting a drink of water. I can feel quite parched and uncomfortable, but just keep postponing getting up to fill my glass. Dumb, huh? ; )

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[Anonymous]

Grainy- I completely relate. I could have a migraine and chapped lips by the time I remember to get a drink of water. Lol

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[Tiddler]

I pour myself drinks, but forget to drink them. My husband finds half drunk pints of water/juice all over the house.

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[Alice]

Hahah. Oh, I can relate to all of this! I get so involved with what I’m doing that I forget to eat, drink, or pee! I often forget to breathe too. Never understood why. I pour myself a coffee or a tea and then walk away because I get distracted by something else and I end up reheating it in the microwave 10 times before I ever finish it!

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[Tiddler]

Does anyone else completely miss their mouth when they’re eating/drinking too? I do it with alarming regularity!

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[beebster]

HAHAHAA – wow I’ve finally found a place where I fit in! lol – I hold my breath when going up stairs or when I’m focussed on something really important or if I’m anxious about something. It’s almost like the part of my brain tha controls all the involuntary stuff shuts down or pauses because it sees that the voluntary portion is struggling needs help on staying focussed or needs the extra RAM. So the portion of my brain that handles all the involuntary functions gets distracted – oh boy that sounds like a disaster! (btw it took me about 2 minutes to find the word “functions” in my memory) – i have a hard time recalling words

@Grainy I sooo totally ignore my thirst – I’m usually on the verge of finishing a task and don’t want to get up or be distracted – in fact I should prob get a glass of water right now…seriously

@ Tiddler – I’ve done it before but rarely only when my coordination is off the odd times.

@Alice – haahahah I can completey relate

p.s. has anyone actually had the ADHD assessment done? I have not been diagnosed (it’s HORRIDLY EXPENSIVE) but I am considering just having the assessment done as that is all i can afford. I may even opt for medication if I am diagnosed. Any advice?

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