Why is it that when people are having a panic attack they breathe into a paper bag?

Question

I know that this increases their carbon dioxide (co2) level but how does that help? I would have thought that increased carbon dioxide levels would cause a person to breathe faster in order to get rid of it?!

Answer 1

Panic attacks and hyperventilating is people that are breathing too hard, and too much oxygen to the brain, where if you breath Co2, you decrease the amoung of oxygen going to your brain.

Answer 2

when you have a panic attack you cause a chemical inbalance. You take on too much oxygen and don't get rid of enough carbon dioxide, this causes the imbalance in the blood which causes the symptoms, tingling, numbness and cramps in fingers (carpal spasm).

Breathing into a paper bag (re-breathing) gives you a chance to restore the chemical imbalance in the blood as you are re-breathing, therefore less oxygen going in, so it is not converted to co2, less carbon dioxide building up, less chemical imbalance, in theory. the difference between levels in the atmosphere are very minimal, but the amount exchnged in the body is more dramatic, so breathing in a little more co2 doesn't make much more of a difference as the blood has more of an affinity to oxygen when exchanging in the lungs. Actually it has more of an affinity to carbon MONoxide, but that's not the issue here!

Otherewise, let them do it til they go unconcious and then the body will restore itself with no problem.

No other cure really, unless you coach the breathing and slow it down, only the patient can sort it out themselves.

But yes. it is all back to front, your right, think I've confused everything now!

Answer 3

the reason why they have people breathe in a brown paper bag when they are having a panic attack is so that they can breathe back in some of their own carbon dioxide. In a panic attack you start to breathe faster. When that happens you do not take in enough oxygen, and you breathe out too much carbon dioxide. You can go into a state of alkalosis and pass out. the brown paper bag allows you to get back some of the carbon dioxide that you breathed out, thus putting your body, mainly the respiratory system back on track.

Answer 4

Hi,
When people hyperventilate, they breathe off more CO2 than they would normally....so their blood chemistry changes due to the usual acidic values of CO2. This happens when people have a panic attack. Breathing into a paper bag, just increases the CO2 back towards a normal level. Also, when the person has something to focus on...ie their breathing.....the panic attack usually stops....therefore it works to relax them too....

Answer 5

That is to stop hyperventilation.During a panic attack the victim begins to breathe fast and hard.
It sets up a vicious cycle and the bag provides a stop mechanism by providing carbon dioxide.That will end the cycle by closing off oxygen and replacing it with CO2.

Answer 6

Too much Oxygen... Need some Carbon Dioxide... Too much Oxygen going to the brain. Carbon Dioxide decreases this...

Answer 7

It's psychological! It's nothing to do with carbon monoxide!! Yes that may happen but the bag gives the person something to concentrate on they become focussed on their breathing by watching the bag inflate and deflate meaning after a few minutes they calm down ha ha the bag LOL

Answer 8

A layman's mechanics of it is to restrict the amount of intake to curb the process of hyperventilation. I know it works and why it works but I'm with you - it doesn't make sense to me, either. It just works and heaven only knows who came up with it...

Answer 9

the first couple are right, i have panic attacks and thats exactly why people do that.

Answer 10

sure is better than vacuum cleaner bags