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How to Tell If Shortness of Breath Is From Anxiety

April 30, 2026

Anxiety can cause a great deal of mental and physical symptoms. With this in mind, a lot of people wonder how to tell if shortness of breath is from anxiety. It can be scary to go through, especially if you’re not sure why it’s happening. Northstar Recovery Center is a leader in Massachusetts mental health and addiction treatment. We’re here to help you better understand your symptoms and manage them in ways that meet your whole-person needs. So, what should you know? Let’s talk about anxiety as a possible cause of shortness of breath, when to seek medical attention, and how anxiety treatment can help.

Key Points:

While it cannot replace individual medical or mental health advice, considering factors like context and additional symptoms can help you tell whether shortness of breath is most likely from anxiety.
There are other potential causes of shortness of breath. Seek medical attention right away if it’s severe, persistent, or accompanied by symptoms like wheezing, pain in the chest, or pain down the arm.
Mental health treatment can help you reduce anxiety symptoms, improve your quality of life, and find coping skills, like calming exercises, that work for you.

How to Tell If Shortness of Breath Is From Anxiety

Looking for how to tell if shortness of breath is from anxiety online cannot replace individual medical or mental health advice. That said, here are some of the main indicators that shortness of breath is most likely caused by anxiety.

Context. One of the biggest factors in knowing how to tell if shortness of breath is from anxiety or not is the context in which you experience it. If you are having a panic attack, are in a stressful situation, or if it starts after you are exposed to a personal anxiety trigger, anxiety is a likely cause.
Additional symptoms. If shortness of breath is paired with other anxiety symptoms, like racing thoughts or feeling like something awful is about to happen, it makes sense that your shortness of breath could be from anxiety.
Whether calming techniques help. If calming techniques for anxiety (e.g., breathing exercises, mindfulness, soothing activities, or grounding strategies) make your shortness of breath go away, anxiety is a very probable cause.
You have ruled out physical causes. If you have ruled out conditions that can cause shortness of breath, like asthma, and your symptoms persist during anxiety-inducing or stressful situations, it’s more likely that anxiety is the cause.

Although shortness of breath is a common anxiety symptom, there are other potential causes. It’s important to know when to seek medical attention. Get help immediately if shortness of breath is severe, does not go away, or is accompanied by serious symptoms (e.g., wheezing, fainting, pain in the chest, jaw, or down the arm).

Anxiety Treatment In Massachusetts

Northstar Recovery Center is proud to offer flexible and effective Anxiety Treatment in Massachusetts. Our experts use evidence-based and supportive treatments, with some of the primary types of therapy used including:

Cognitive behavioral therapy.
Trauma-focused therapies.
Dialectical behavior therapy.
Acceptance and commitment therapy.
Mindfulness and stress reduction.

While at Northstar, you work with our team to create an individualized anxiety treatment plan, tailored to your personal needs and goals. Treatment for anxiety can help you reduce symptoms, improve your quality of life, and find coping skills that work for you. With treatment, some people with anxiety disorders even get to a place of remission.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment Centers In Massachusetts

Mental health conditions like anxiety disorders are a risk factor for drug and alcohol abuse. If you or your loved one seeking anxiety treatment is also struggling with substance abuse, our Dual Diagnosis Treatment Centers in Massachusetts are an ideal solution. The goal of dual-diagnosis treatment, also called integrated care, is to address substance use disorders and co-occurring conditions like anxiety simultaneously. This promotes positive health outcomes and is strongly recommended when applicable.

Learn More About Online and In-Person Anxiety Treatment in Massachusetts at Northstar

Northstar Recovery Center is a trusted outpatient mental health and addiction treatment provider. We have two in-person locations–one in West Springfield and the other in Southborough–where you can get help with anxiety symptoms, as well as fully online programs and hybrid scheduling options. Ready to learn more about online and in-person anxiety treatment in Massachusetts at Northstar? Reach our confidential admissions line at (833) 853-8153.

FAQs

Can anxiety cause shortness of breath?

Yes. Anxiety can cause shortness of breath. If you are not sure what’s causing your shortness of breath, a medical provider can help you rule out other possible causes.

Is there medication for shortness of breath caused by anxiety?

Many people with anxiety disorders benefit most from a combination of medication and therapy. Medications for anxiety can help people calm both mental and physical symptoms. This may include shortness of breath. Common anxiety medications include:

Antidepressant medications. While they take time to work, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors are antidepressant medications that build up in your system as time goes on. They can provide lasting symptom management for conditions like generalized anxiety disorder.
Beta blockers. Selective and nonselective beta blockers, like propranolol, are frequently prescribed off-label for anxiety. They act quickly and can be particularly helpful for situational anxiety (e.g., performance-related anxiety), panic attacks, and physical symptoms.

Northstar has a psychiatric nurse practitioner on staff who provides medication management services for clients as needed.

What type of breathing reduces anxiety?

There are a lot of different breathing exercises people can use to help relieve anxiety. The most effective typically involve slow, diaphragmatic, and controlled breathing. Here are a few examples and how to use them.

Box breathing. Inhale for four seconds, hold your breath for four seconds, exhale over the course of four seconds, and ‘hold’ the exhale for four seconds before repeating the process.
The 4-7-8 breathing exercise. Inhale for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds, and exhale slowly over the course of eight seconds.
Cyclic sighing. Inhale once through your nose to fill your lungs. Then pause briefly, taking a short sniff to make sure they are completely filled. Finally, exhale slowly through your mouth.

Breathing exercises soothe the nervous system, helping you feel safe. Breathwork is one example of a type of calming exercise taught in our programs.