Just Breathe

An attempt to mimic the mindset of someone with intense anxiety/paranoia.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. In. Out. In. Out. In, out. In, out. In out, in out, in and out. Don’t panic. Hold it together. Breathe in. Breathe out. Not so fast, they might hear. Just breathe. Just breathe. In through the nose, out through the mouth. That helps. Unball your hands, they might notice.  Keep them flat on your desk. Breathe. Don’t forget to breathe. It’ll be alright. Breathe.

 

Oh God, is he watching me? God, he’s watching me. It’s ok. It’s nothing. Just breathe. Be normal. Nothing’s wrong. Everything’s alright. He looked away. What did I do? Was something wrong? God, god. No. Not again. In, out. In out. Slower, slower. She might notice. I can’t answer questions right now. Just calm down. Stay calm. Smile. Smiling’s good. Breathe through your nose, it’s less noticeable.

 

My face itches. Should I scratch it? What if someone sees? They might think I’m weird, scratching myself. What do they think of me? Already look weird. I can’t. Just sit. Sit still. Don’t forget to breathe. Hey, hey, hey! Look up! Pay attention! Act like everyone else. Just like everyone. Stop shaking! Stop it! Get still! Breathe! In, out. In, out. Get it together! Breathe. Stop fidgeting. Stop moving. Look up. Breathe. Just breathe.

Author's Note

First attempt at this style of writing, but I kinda like it. Any tips are appreciated.