What is the fear of asphyxiation?

What is the fear of asphyxiation?

When we start getting anxious and as a part of the anxiety response, we involuntarily alter the breathing pattern, we breathe faster or deeper. The explanation is that we need a major contribution of oxygen, to run or to fight. 

Nevertheless, if we do not carry out any of these two activities we fall down in a hyperventilation state, in our organism there is more oxygen than the one we need, and, paradoxically, one of the effects that this produces to level of physical sensations is a sensation of asphyxiation or lack of air.  

The only way for a person to die from suffocation or choking is when oxygen can’t get to the lungs, and when you’re having a panic attack, your level of oxygen is even greater as normal. It would be the complete opposite of choking!