What is claustrophobia?
Claustrophobia, also called fear of space, belongs to the specific phobias. This means that the affected person feels a disproportionate fear in the face of a specific thing. Thus, people with claustrophobia develop strong feelings of fear in confined and closed spaces (for example, elevators, subways) as well as crowds (such as concerts).
Claustrophobia – social effects
Claustrophobia may severely limit the lives of those affected, both professionally and personally, for example, because they have trouble traveling or avoid many situations and places that others take for granted – from going to the movies to going to conventions.
Claustrophobia and panic disorder
How does claustrophobia manifest itself?
How does claustrophobia manifest itself and what is the significance of the condition for sufferers? Claustrophobia, like all phobias, manifests itself in an inappropriately strong fear – in this case of confined and closed spaces or crowds of people.
The severity of the anxiety ranges from unease and anxiety to panic. The feelings of anxiety are accompanied by physical symptoms such as racing heart, sweating, shortness of breath or hyperventilation. These may be so severe that they put the affected person in mortal fear.
Other sufferers, on the other hand, do not feel restricted at all in normal everyday life and only experience anxiety in certain situations, such as during a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.
What are the causes?
The primal fear of being confined is one of the existential human experiences. From an evolutionary biological point of view, fear of certain objects or situations makes sense because it contributed to the survival of mankind.
Other sufferers, on the other hand, do not feel restricted at all in normal everyday life and only experience anxiety in certain situations, such as during a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.
What are the causes?
The primal fear of being confined is one of the existential human experiences. From an evolutionary biological point of view, fear of certain objects or situations makes sense because it contributed to the survival of mankind.
Predisposition and negative experiences
However, it is known that genetic predispositions and experiences shape a person’s personality and thus also their basic propensity to fear at an early age. Some are therefore particularly vulnerable and more likely to develop psychological disorders than others – including anxiety disorders such as claustrophobia.
Claustrophobia: examinations and diagnosis
Physical examinations
In order to rule out possible physical causes of the anxiety symptoms, the doctor performs various examinations in the case of claustrophobia. These include recording some blood values, an electrocardiogram (ECG) or an examination of the thyroid gland using ultrasound.
Claustrophobia test sheet
To detect claustrophobia, there are special questionnaires that capture the symptoms of the disorder. The therapist may ask the following questions:
- In what situations do you experience severe anxiety?
- What physical symptoms occur when you put yourself in such a situation in your mind (for example, racing heart, sweating, or hyperventilating)?
- Do you think your fear response is exaggerated?
Treatment
Claustrophobia can be significantly alleviated or even completely conquered in most cases with psychotherapeutic help. There are currently no medications that work directly against the anxiety disorder.
Thus, experts do not recommend drug treatment as standard for specific phobias. In severe cases, however, the doctor may prescribe certain drugs, so-called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
Claustrophobia: confrontation therapy
In this way, they experience that the fear that rises in them eventually subsides without anything happening to them. This experience helps to reduce the fears.
Claustrophobia: Cognitive behavioral therapy
Claustrophobia: Applied Relaxation
Applied relaxation is a technique that teaches patients to relax in seconds in anxiety-provoking situations. This is because being relaxed and being anxious are mutually exclusive. This method is based on Jacobsen’s progressive muscle relaxation.
Claustrophobia: course of the disease and prognosis
Behavioral therapy can alleviate the symptoms of a specific phobia.
Furthermore, the same applies to claustrophobia as to most other disorders: the earlier it is treated, the better the chances of recovery. If left untreated, however, claustrophobia tends to worsen and may severely limit life.