To my surprise, my 2014 began much like last year. January 2014 was filled with HVS symptoms just like in January 2013.
After several months of a close walk with God and peace even in the face of challenges, I was blindsided about six weeks ago when faith and peace became a big struggle again. I experienced a very stressful 24 hours with two traffic incidents and a negative medical report. Despite trying to respond in faith and trust, my emotions soon seemed overwhelming and my thoughts turned to worry. An on-and-off struggle with HVS (hyperventilation syndrome) followed.
Because of this recurrence of HVS, I finally picked up Dr. Mark Crawford's "The Obsessive-Compulsive Trap" again. Although HVS is not the same as OCD, the two can overlap and fuel each other. So Dr. Crawford's book (the primary book my counselor recommended in 2006), has provided some very helpful reminders and new insights for my current battle with HVS.
I was surprised at the return of HVS since I did not struggle with it for most of 2013, but reading Dr. Crawford's book reminded me that victory over OCD and HVS are not just isolated to one battle. He writes, "OCD symptoms can change over time. It is important to help patients understand that even after you kick Mr. OCD out, he may try to sneak back into the party disguised in a different outfit" (p. 108). We can have victory over OCD, but we have to "be ready for a fight." (p. 109).
1 Peter 4:12 says, "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you." I would like to think that once I have had victory in an area of my life that I wouldn't need to fight that battle again, but I've had to accept that's not the way it is. I am reminded that trials have great purposes, and even when the same trial comes back, it offers a great opportunity for me to grow and to see God's power perfected in my weakness.
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HVS Tip: Of the physical responses to HVS that were suggested to me, I had never heard of yawning. So in case it might help someone else with HVS, I want to share that yawning slowly and deeply as soon as the shallow breathing begins has been very helpful to me. I continue yawning until I catch a good, deep normal breath. Then I immediately work on redirecting my thoughts to truth in order to combat the root lies and anxieties underlying my HVS. Sometimes I need to go right back to starting the process of yawning again, but if I persevere in this pattern of (1) yawning and (2) redirecting my thoughts, it helps keep my HVS responses from accelerating and intensifying.
