Wow, I see its been several years now but I will reply too, just in case.

Since I was a young child (am now mid 20s), I can recall going thru periods where my chest feels tight, like I am not breathing. The ONLY thing that makes it go away is a deep, forced, sigh or yawn like you said. Sometimes it lasts for a week, sometimes it lasts several months. There are no related triggers and it is not a panic attack. There is nothing wrong with my lungs (I've seen 2 pulmonologists) and no asthma. I've seen an ENT and gotten the camera to look at my larynx, not that. I've seen a speech pathologist; she gave me breathing that didn't help. I've been to therapy (including CBT), and while it helped me, it hasn't helped the BREATHING issue. After all these medical visits, NO ONE, not a single medical professional I've met with, knows what I'm talking about. The best I've gotten is sympathy, the worst was being dismissed and told that I'm making it up.

I've met two people who described to me identical symptoms and I've read similar stories on the internet, which is how I heard that this is a symptom of anxiety. Its a VERY frequent complaint on the r/anxiety subreddit, I've found blog posts from other frustrated people and there are even medical reviews on the condition if you search Google Scholar (its called 'sigh syndrome,' 'compulsive sighing,' or 'psychogenic dyspnea.' can send links). But most studies are kinda outdated, and at least two suggest "reassuring the patient that they are fine" as the "treatment." Importantly, I do NOT believe I suffer from anxiety, but it seems that many say they are connected.

However, I have noticed it seems to be connected to stress. It was the worst for me in college. I was very involved and very busy, so I believe it is related to stress. But again, its not acute.... It almost seems to work like a cold: if I am stressed for too long, I get 'run-down' and it sets in for a few weeks. I did track and field in college, ran 50+ miles per week, maintained a pretty normal sleep schedule and ate a pretty good diet. After I graduated a few years ago, I took a pretty relaxed but unfulfilling job, and for those two years, the sighing stopped. I certainly went thru periods of relationship and COVID-induced stress, but the issue was gone. Except I recently returned to school and last week it started again, ]the same week that I had to submit a scholarship application worth a lot of money. I didn't feel too stressed, but then again, it doesnt seem coincidental. Anyway, I'm not having it this time. I had a taste of freedom and I know I can't do this anymore. I forgot how AWFUL it is to sit thru meetings and go about life faking a normal, blank face while inside I feel like I'm literally drowning. I scheduled an appointment with a psychiatrist for the 1st time, but the appointment is 2 months away and I'm worried it will go away by then, making it impossible to judge whether meds help.

anyway thanks for reading my life story lol. I'd love to hear if anyone here has any updates!!!