the anxiety of breath
Hi everyone, I am learning to freestyle lap swim and suffering from some anxiety in the water that I'm hoping others have experienced and overcome.
I notice I first have the urge to breathe about halfway through a 25yd lap. I feel calm up until that point, but once I have to start breathing, things go south. As ridiculous as it sounds, having to think about breathing on top of everything else feels like too much. It makes me feel breathless, gasp-y and panicked, even though I can get enough air. And then when I panic, I instinctively speed up, which I’m sure just makes the breathlessness worse. I think I understand and can anticipate what is happening yet have not been able to work my way around it.
I have a background in freediving and do feel more comfortable holding my breath underwater. The continuous exhale that is recommended feels completely unnatural to me — the sound of the bubbles, the forced feeling — and focusing on that just adds to my anxiety.
I'm reasonably fit and not afraid of water at all! I love being in it and want to spend even more time at the pool, but I feel like this is an obstacle I must clear first. I am going as slow as I can. Has anyone dealt with something like this and worked through it? I would love your thoughts.