So I got this new anxiety workbook that has breathing exercises in it. I’m supposed to feel more relaxed doing these breathing exercises. The problem is, the more I concentrate on “counting the breathe,” the more nervous I get. Instead of breathing easy, I end up gulping air to try and stay up with the count. The exercises seem to have the opposite effect.
I was just wondering if anyone else has this problem and if so, what did you do to correct it?
I breathe in, I breathe out, I breathe in, I breathe out. 
Jk
I do. I’ve been working through a mindfulness book.
Exercise causes me to breathe. A lot.
i do it daily …but i do in intense environment…taking and letting go …its related to osho…i do it daily for 1 frkin hour…!!!
and yes i do
Even during yoga I tend to hold my breath. I really have to concentrate on my breathing. For my test anxiety I’m trying to take 2 cleansing breaths between questions and close my eyes visualizing myself passing and my professors cheering me on.
I just do one when needed. Breathe in through my nose deeply. Count “one-onethousand, two-onethousand”… Up to six. Push the air out through my mouth. Repeat. It actually lowers my blood pressure. 
Needing to get back into 5 senses meditation these days. Found it’s more helpful to stop my mind drifting with other types of mediations and keeps me grounded.
I also have experienced opposite effect of breathing exercises.That it makes me more tense etc.
I have had positive experience a few times back when i did beginners yoga and also once when i learnt how to release and breath out but that didnt last long.
I have a book about breathing.Really good book but have not read it lately.
I would like to start yoga again but dont trust most people and think i would get attacked in the sessions perhaps even if i watch a dvd such might happen. 
They say swimming is fabulous for breathing.
I was doing yoga Nidra with Swami cd for few years and although it could make my body more tense i still loved it.
Might even buy it again.
Its a really good cd with breathing exercises and guided meditation etc.
I do not do breathing exercises.
Breathing exercises are just supposed to be a way to focus on something other than your worries. If they don’t work for you, pick something that does. I have OCD relating to breathing patterns, so I choose to “levitate” things instead. I focus on an object, and try to move it with my mind. I know it’s not going to happen, so I don’t get stressed out, but it gets my mind thinking about something else.
I used to meditate and do breathing exercises until my perfectionist side of me said it was a waste of time. Don’t know if it really helped though. Weeks later, I had a mental breakdown. 
Now, I just sometimes so the exercises but without a time frame. I can do it whenever and wherever I want! 
Yup. Breathing with your chest is supposed to increase anxiety. Breathing with your gut or diaphragm is supposed to relieve it.
breathing exercises are beituful also a work out that gets your heart beating at a high rate. its beuitful you just focus on your simple task at hand which is nothing but to count and breath. get in your most comfortable position and just realize there is this abundance of something called oxygen which actually helps anytime your feeling that way.
When I want to get into the moment I find it more relaxing to notice and focus on the sounds in my surroundings and the various pressures on different parts of my body.
Yes, I do concentrated breathing which is very useful for switching off negative energy. Just go some place where you are alone to practise at first, then when you get better at it, it can be done pretty much anywhere at anytime.