In those early weeks, Sasha remembered, all she really did was breathe. The frightening, dizzying spurts of shallow, rapid, can’t-stop breathing, when all she could do was try to calm herself down by taking slower, deeper breaths. The attacks would come in waves, the ocean of overwhelm pulling her out, and then she would try to reel herself in, thinking only of her breath. Until the ocean pulled her out again, and she would reel herself back in. Over and over. Focusing on the breaths. Wondering if she was healing or drowning.
