Hyperventilation Bag

In... and out...

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 to cure hiccups. Actually Truth in Television, as breathing into a paper bag is a good way to reduce the symptoms of hyperventilation, according to The Other Wiki. However, one should never use a plastic bag for this, because suffocation will ensue.

Examples of Hyperventilation Bag include:

Anime and Manga

• In the manga adaptation of Neon Genesis Evangelion, Shinji has a panic attack and Kaworu, not being able to find a paper bag, kisses him.

Live Action TV

• Happens in one episode of Perfect Strangers.
• Josie Gibson, a contestant on Big Brother, did this once.
• Rachel is show breathing into a paper bag during the Friends pilot.
  • Also happens to Janice in another episode.
• In one of the many flashbacks on Lost, Hurley is seen breathing into a Mr. Clucks bag in a parking lot.
• On one episode of Diff'rent Strokes, Adelaide the housekeeper uses a paper bag to ward off an epileptic seizure.

Film

• Runt of the Litter from Chicken Little. He hyperventilates so hard he accidentally swallows the bag, then is seen breathing on two bags at once.
• Referenced in Monsters vs. Aliens when Ginormica first sees the giant robot they have to fight.

Ginormica: I can't fight that thing! I've never... I'm hyperventilating! Does anybody have a giant paper bag?

• RJ in Over the Hedge did this once.

Western Animation

• My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic: Spike does this on "A Dog And Pony Show" after Rarity has been kidnapped.
• On The Simpsons, in the episode "Lisa's Rival", when Lisa does this after meeting a girl who appears to be smarter than she is.
• Seen in Rocket Power.
• Carver does this once in The Weekenders.