hyperventilate
Gasp too rapidly
Hyperventilate means to breathe abnormally fast and deep, disrupting the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood.
This often happens during panic attacks or extreme anxiety: She started hyperventilating and had to breathe into a paper bag.
Figuratively, to hyperventilate is to react with excessive alarm or excitement: Critics hyperventilated over the casting announcement.
Breathing in sharp gulps
- pantingRapid labored breathing
- gulpingSwallowing hastily, noisily
- air hungerSensation of inadequate breathing
- shortness of breathDifficulty inhaling enough air
shallow breaths · chest tightness · dizziness · lightheadedness · tingling · numbness · diaphragm · lungs
Sudden intense fear episode
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- fearEmotional response to threat
- terrorExtreme, overwhelming fear
- hysteriaUncontrollable emotional excess
overwhelm · heart-pounding · palpitations · trembling · sweating · fight-or-flight · adrenaline · alarm
Abnormally quick breathing rate
- syncopeTemporary loss of consciousness
- faintingTemporary loss of consciousness
- blood pHMeasure of circulatory acidity
- emergencySerious sudden danger
paramedic · oxygen · vital signs · symptoms · diagnosis · treatment · chronic · acute
Respond disproportionately to something
- melodramaSensational, emotionally overwrought drama
- theatricsExaggerated dramatic behavior
- dramaticStrikingly expressive or sudden
- freak outReact with extreme alarm
blow out of proportion · histrionics · worked up · frenzy · agitated · overwrought · excitable · hysterical
gasping
Breathing in sharp gulps
- pantingRapid labored breathing
- gulpingSwallowing hastily, noisily
- air hungerSensation of inadequate breathing
shortness of breath · shallow breaths · chest tightness · dizziness · lightheadedness · tingling · numbness · diaphragm · lungs · inhale
panic attack
Sudden intense fear episode
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- fearEmotional response to threat
- terrorExtreme, overwhelming fear
hysteria · overwhelm · heart-pounding · palpitations · trembling · sweating · fight-or-flight · adrenaline · alarm · fright
tachypnea
Abnormally quick breathing rate
- syncopeTemporary loss of consciousness
- faintingTemporary loss of consciousness
- blood pHMeasure of circulatory acidity
emergency · paramedic · oxygen · vital signs · symptoms · diagnosis · treatment · chronic · acute · syndrome
overreact
Respond disproportionately to something
- melodramaSensational, emotionally overwrought drama
- theatricsExaggerated dramatic behavior
- dramaticStrikingly expressive or sudden
freak out · blow out of proportion · histrionics · worked up · frenzy · agitated · overwrought · excitable · hysterical · sensationalize
- hyper-hyperactive, hyperlink, hyperbole, hypertension, hyperspace
- breathingbreathing, inhalation, breath, exhalation, breathe
- fear reactionsscream, scared, gasp, terrified, flinch
- stress reactionspanic, fear, fright, terror, horror
- stress signspanic, anxiety, worry, tension, burnout
- outburstsoutburst, burst, eruption, tantrum, meltdown
hyperventilatehypoventilate
Breathe inadequately slowly
hold one's breath · suffocate · apnea · asphyxiate · choke
hyperventilation, hyperventilated, hyperventilates, hyperventilating