History Main / HyperventilationBag

* ''WebAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'': Petunia in "Wishy Washy" attempts to use this method to cope with her germophobia. The paper bag eventually explodes towards the middle of the episode, so she frantically goes for a rubber glove instead (which ''of course'' gets stuck in her throat).

[[folder:Web Comics]]

[[quoteright:273:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hyperventilate-273x300_2185.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:273:In... and out...]]

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Centaurworld}}'' has an entire musical number surrounding this, entitled "Breath In a Bag".

* RJ in ''WesternAnimation/OverTheHedge'' does this as he becomes less sure about going through with his lie to the other animals. [[FreezeFrameBonus The brand of chips on the bag is named "OH-NOS"]].

%%* RJ in ''WesternAnimation/OverTheHedge'' did this once.

Often in TV, a character who is panicking will be shown inhaling and exhaling into a paper bag to calm down. In milder examples, it can be used [[HiccupHijinks to cure hiccups]]. Actually TruthInTelevision, as breathing into a paper bag is a good way to reduce the symptoms of hyperventilation,[[note]]Hyperventilating causes you to lose carbon dioxide too quickly, causing dizziness and fainting. The bag helps you retain it.[[/note]] according to Website/TheOtherWiki. However, one should [[TooDumbToLive never use a plastic bag]] for this, because suffocation ''will'' ensue.[[note]]Being porous and not as likely to cling around the mouth, a paper bag allows some oxygen to come in, which a plastic bag cannot do.[[/note]] While there are other ways to cure hyperventilation, the paper bag is the most iconic, providing an easy visual shorthand (and comical prop) for viewers.

* In the manga adaptation of ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'', Shinji has a panic attack and Kaworu, not being able to find a paper bag, kisses him.

* In ''ComicBook/YoungJustice'', the Justice League is considering disbanding their group unless they can prove themselves on a mission. Arrowette calls them out on wanting their apprentices to fail instead of hoping for them to succeed, before she storms off. Wonder Girl follows her, and when she finds her she's breathing heavily into a bag. Hey, give the girl a break. She just talked back to ''the Justice League''.

* In ''[[Fanfic/HarmonyAndValor It Sounds Better Than "Pity Date"]]'', Flash Sentry hands Sci-Twi a paper bag for her to breath into after Sci-Twi panics, realizing [[spoiler:she got carried away with the "simulation date" she and Flash were on and actually tried to kiss him, knowing he likes Princess Twilight.]] Flash claims he brought the bag [[CrazyPrepared because "you never know what you might need."]]

* Ilana uses one in the ''Series/BroadCity'' episode "Destination: Wedding" to cope with the revelation that Abbi made out with another woman before they met, when Ilana wanted Abbi's first same-sex experience to be with her.

* Appears a number of times during the 5-season run of ''Series/{{Emergency}}'', which should not surprise anybody.

* Appears a number of times during the 5-season run of ''Series/{{Emergency!,}}'' which should not surprise anybody.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Centaurworld}}'' has an entire musical number surrounding this, entitled "Breath Into a Bag".

%%[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

%%[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* ''Literature/SheIsTheOne'': One is used to help Jack come down from a panic attack [[spoiler:at the police station after Coach Walburn's suicide]].

->'''Allison:''' ''Are you hyperventilating?''\\
'''Lisa:''' ''No, I just like to smell my lunch.''
-->-- ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS6E2LisasRival "Lisa's Rival"]]

* RJ in ''WesternAnimation/OverTheHedge'' did this once.
* Alex does this once in ''WesternAnimation/Madagascar3EuropesMostWanted''.

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* One of the soldiers in ''Film/{{Windtalkers}}''

[[folder:Literature]]
* ''Literature/SheIsTheOne'': One is used to help Jack come down from a panic attack [[spoiler:at the police station after Coach Walburn's suicide]].
[[/folder]]

* Happens in one episode of ''Series/PerfectStrangers''.
* Josie Gibson, a contestant on ''Series/BigBrother'', did this once.

Often in TV, a character who is panicking will be shown inhaling and exhaling into a paper bag to calm down. In milder examples, it can be used [[HiccupHijinks to cure hiccups]]. Actually TruthInTelevision, as breathing into a paper bag is a good way to reduce the symptoms of hyperventilation,[[note]]Hyperventilating causes you to lose carbon dioxide too quickly, causing dizziness and fainting. The bag helps you retain it.[[/note]] according to Wiki/TheOtherWiki. However, one should [[TooDumbToLive never use a plastic bag]] for this, because suffocation ''will'' ensue.[[note]]Being porous and not as likely to cling around the mouth, a paper bag allows some oxygen to come in, which a plastic bag cannot do.[[/note]] While there are other ways to cure hyperventilation, the paper bag is the most iconic, providing an easy visual shorthand (and comical prop) for viewers.

[[quoteright:273:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hyperventilate-273x300_2185.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:273:In... and out...]]

->'''[[TheAce Allison]]:''' ''Are you hyperventilating?''\\
'''[[WiseBeyondTheirYears Lisa]]:''' ''No, I just like to smell my lunch.''

* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDramaRama'': In "[[Recap/TotalDramaRamaS1E23KnowItAll Know It All]]", Courtney is not allowed to correct anyone on what they're doing wrong and the other students go out of her way to push her to her limit. Noah's contribution is to color outside of the lines. Unable to deal with the sight, Courtney grabs a bag and breathes into it as she runs out of the room.

* On ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', in the episode "Lisa's Rival", when Lisa does this after meeting a girl who appears to be smarter than she is.

* ''WesternAnimation/ReadyJetGo'': In "Jet Cooks Dinner", the kids are running out of time to cook a meal for Jet's parents before they return home. This causes Sean to have a panic attack, and he briefly breathes into a brown paper bag.

%%* Carver does this once in ''WesternAnimation/TheWeekenders''.
%%** Tino, as well, in the HalloweenSpecial.
%%* Done one time in ''WesternAnimation/TheMightyB''.
* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'': Finn starts hyperventilating when Princess Bubblegum asks him to give a science talk. Jake turns into a paper bag and tells him to just breathe into him.

* While not for hyperventilation, Edd of ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'' breathes into one to cure his hiccups, which Eddy pops with one of his hairs.
* Lampooned in the ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode, "The Cleveland-Loretta Quagmire": Cleveland Brown begins to hyperventilate as he vows to kill Glenn Quagmire for sleeping with his wife. Peter grabs a plastic bag instead of a paper one, placing it over Cleveland's head and causing the latter to lose breath and pass out.
* Whenever Clyde [=McBride=] from ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'' freaks out, he breathes into a paper bag. "[[Recap/TheLoudHouseS4E17WriteAndWrongPurrfectGig Purrfect Gig]]" demonstrates that Howard [=McBride=], [[HasTwoDaddies one of his fathers]], [[LikeFatherLikeSon also does this]] whenever he's having a panic attack.

* ''WebAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'': Petunia in "Wishy Washy". She eventually pops the paper bag and goes for a glove instead (which ''of course'' gets stuck in her throat).

Often in TV, a character who is panicking will be shown inhaling and exhaling into a paper bag to calm down. In milder examples, it can be used [[HiccupHijinks to cure hiccups]]. Actually TruthInTelevision, as breathing into a paper bag is a good way to reduce the symptoms of hyperventilation[[note]]Hyperventilating causes you to lose carbon dioxide too quickly, causing dizziness and fainting. The bag helps you retain it.[[/note]], according to Wiki/TheOtherWiki. However, one should [[TooDumbToLive never use a plastic bag]] for this, because suffocation ''will'' ensue.[[note]]Being porous and not as likely to cling around the mouth, a paper bag allows some oxygen to come in, which a plastic bag cannot do.[[/note]] While there are other ways to cure hyperventilation, the paper bag is the most iconic, providing an easy visual shorthand (and comical prop) for viewers.

* Whenever Clyde [=McBride=] from ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'' freaks out, he breathes into a paper bag.