◄     INTENTIONAL OVERBREATHING     ►

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Introduce overbreathing by gradually increasing depth.  Emphasize depth, not rate.  Increase rate sparingly.  Avoid “panicky” breathing mechanics.  Increasing depth will decrease rate automatically.  The recommended duration and severity of overbreathing varies considerably, but generally maximums during evaluation are two minutes at 20-25 mmHg.  Symptoms appear, sometimes immediately at high ETCO2 levels (30-35 mmHg), sometimes only at severe levels (20-25 mmHg), and sometimes not at all.  There is no need to unnecessarily lower ETCO2 levels.
 
 Take proper precautions:

 

● Have a paper bag available.

● Be vigilant, don’t overlook behavioral nuances.

● Advise the client that s(he) may discontinue at any time.

● Be prepared to stop the induction when you see a contraindication. 

● Be ready to implement short-term interventions.

See how different levels of ETCO2 affect your client.  Ask your clients these kinds of questions:

● In your fingers, hands, and arms?  What happens when you stretch them?
● In your jaws and cheeks?  What happens when you bite down, or move your jaw?
● In your upper back and chest?  Do you feel tight, constrained, limited, uncomfortable?

● In your lower body?  Can you feel your feet?  Do they feel connected to you?
● In your sense of self?  How do you feel about yourself, your self-esteem? 
● In your relationship with others?  Do you feel confident, vulnerable?
● In your face, your forehead?  Do you feel relaxed, tense, or alert?
● In your vision?  Look around.  Can you focus?  Can you see clearly?
● In your attention?  Can you focus?  Can you think clearly?
● In your throat?  Can you swallow, can you talk normally?
● In your abdomen?  Do you feel nauseous?  Are you cramping?
● In your heart?  Is your heart racing?  Does it worry you?
● In your thoughts?  What thoughts are coming to you?
● In your head?  Do you feel dizzy, disoriented?
● In your emotions?  What are you feeling?

 LEARN WHAT CHEMISTRY CHANGES FEEL LIKE.

 

Copyrighted by Behavioral Physiology Institute, Boulder, Colorado USA