Living with Asthma and Anxiety: A Journey of Growth

I started blogging about my asthma back in 2007. It didn’t take long before I met other people with asthma who were also blogging. We formed a tight-knit group, all sharing our struggles and triumphs. One day, I wrote about a severe asthma attack I had when I was 10, "A Tough Evening In A Smoke Filled Room." I didn’t tell my parents right away, even though I was scared and struggling to breathe. Eventually, I woke them up, and my dad rushed me to the emergency room.

One of my fellow bloggers asked, “Why didn’t you tell your parents sooner?” At the time, I wasn’t sure why. It seems like the obvious thing to do when you’re sick, right? But for me, I didn’t. I replied to my friend, “I don’t know. Sadly, it happened a lot when I was a kid.”

Looking back, it’s a little sad. It’s hard to admit that I had to deal with asthma alone sometimes. Even harder to admit that I was afraid to wake my parents. But looking back, I can also see how much I’ve grown and how much we can learn from experiences like these.

In 1985, I was admitted to an asthma hospital in Denver, Colorado. They treated me for asthma but also recognized something else: anxiety. They told me that my anxiety was making it harder for me to manage my asthma. And that’s when everything started to make sense.

I talked to counselors, psychologists, and even a psychiatrist. The psychologist diagnosed me, and the psychiatrist prescribed me some medication to help with my anxiety. At just 15, I was open to all of it. I wanted to get better, and I wanted to learn how to live my life without fear.

Having both asthma and anxiety wasn’t easy, but over time, I’ve learned how to manage both. Yes, it takes work, but I’ve proven that it’s possible to live a full, healthy life with both conditions. Here’s the thing: managing asthma and managing anxiety go hand in hand. When you focus on controlling one, you’re also helping the other. But it’s not always simple—admitting you need help with anxiety can be a big challenge, especially when it feels irrational.

I was fortunate to be diagnosed and treated early. Not everyone is so lucky. Many people with anxiety never get an official diagnosis, and many don’t seek help. But treatment is possible, whether through relaxation techniques, therapy, or medication. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it.

What Is Anxiety?

I’m not a doctor, so I’ll share what anxiety feels like from my own experience. To me, anxiety is about fear, worry, and nervousness. It’s a constant sense of dread, like a weight on your chest. You feel uneasy, even in situations that shouldn’t cause fear.

Two Types of Asthma Anxiety

There are two kinds of anxiety that I’ve personally experienced, and I think they’re both important to recognize.

1. Anxiety Caused by Asthma: This one’s pretty straightforward. When you can’t breathe, you get scared. Everyone with asthma has probably felt this. It’s the panic that sets in when an asthma attack hits, and it’s hard to control the fear of it getting worse. But,  this anxiety can be helpful. It reminds you to get the help you need, whether it’s reaching for your inhaler or calling for help.

2. Anxiety That’s Always There (Not Caused by Asthma): This kind of anxiety is more subtle and harder to recognize. It’s the anxiety you feel all the time, whether or not you’re experiencing an asthma attack. It can be fear of what others think or worrying that you’re bothering someone (like I was afraid of bothering my parents). It’s irrational, and yet, it’s there. This kind of anxiety can be hard to pinpoint, and many people go through life without realizing they have it. But it’s real. And it can be managed.

Finding Strength in Anxiety

The good news is, anxiety doesn’t have to control your life. It’s natural to feel anxious when you’re having trouble breathing, but it doesn’t have to prevent you from seeking help. If you’re a child, you wake up your parents. If you’re an adult, you call your doctor or head to the emergency room. Anxiety can drive you to take action, to do what you need to do to get better.

But anxiety can also be harmful when it stops you from asking for help. When asthma and anxiety combine, it can create a barrier to getting the care you need. That’s why it’s so important to address both asthma and anxiety. Once you acknowledge both, you can start to take control of your health and your life.

Living with asthma and anxiety may be a challenge, but it’s not a life sentence. You can learn to manage both. I’m living proof of that. Through therapy, medication, and learning to manage my asthma, I’ve been able to live a fulfilling life. It takes work, but it’s worth it.

So, if you’re struggling with asthma and anxiety, know that you’re not alone. There’s hope. With the right support, the right tools, and a willingness to ask for help, you can manage both and live your life to the fullest. It’s not always easy, but it’s always possible.