The fear of enclosed or confined spaces is colloquially known as claustrophobia or claustrophobia. However, this phobia should not be confused with agoraphobia, which is a fear of specific places or spaces. It is a fear that can have a wide variety of causes. However, the severity of claustrophobic symptoms can usually be reduced by taking appropriate measures.
What is claustrophobia?
Claustrophobia or claustrophobia is a so-called specific phobia; that is, it is a fear that is limited to certain topics. In claustrophobia, for example, these topics are narrow or enclosed spaces or places. When a person is confronted with these topics, he or she usually reacts with a pronounced discomfort or the desire to escape from the situation. Often claustrophobia refers to feeling at the mercy of the situation and helpless. Associated with claustrophobia may be physical reactions such as an increase in heart rate, trembling, sweating, dilated pupils, or heavy breathing. If claustrophobia is very severe, confrontation with frightening stimuli can also lead to so-called stimulus-linked panic attacks.
Causes
There are various models in psychology and medicine that attempt to explain the causes of claustrophobia. It is likely that in most cases there are several combined causes behind claustrophobia. For example, one possible causal factor lies in negative experiences that a sufferer has had with confinement in the past. Also very vividly described negative experiences of close persons can contribute to the development of claustrophobia. Claustrophobia can also be developed ‘accidentally’, so to speak; this occurs in the context of so-called conditioning:
A negative experience is had while one happens to be in a confined space, for example, and the experience is mistakenly associated with the confined space. In science, a hereditary influence continues to be discussed. Thus, it is likely that susceptibilities to developing fears such as claustrophobia may also be genetic.
Symptoms, complaints, and signs
Symptoms of claustrophobia vary from person to person. How severe and threatening they are felt depends on the severity of the condition. Among the most common symptoms are palpitations, to palpitations that may be accompanied by shortness of breath. Patients also sometimes complain of a tightness in the throat or chest, weak knees and an unsteady gait. In addition, tremors and internal shaking may occur, as well as profuse sweating and nausea, which can extend to vomiting. Sometimes numbness, an undefinable tingling in the extremities or strong dizziness occur. At times, those experience dry mouth, hot flashes or chills. The anxiety may cause chest pain, as well as high blood pressure. Rapid, shallow breathing, even hyperventilation, is also possible. In extreme cases, this can lead to fainting. Also, sufferers perceive the feeling of going crazy or losing their mind. Sometimes they are overcome by a panic attack, they believe they are suffocating or about to die. This overwhelming fear can increase to the point of death anxiety. All of these symptoms may or may not occur. However, over time, most sufferers develop a massive fear of the particular situation that triggered these symptoms, so they try to avoid that place in the future.
Course
A claustrophobia can show different courses. For example, sufferers may be able to avoid situations in their daily lives that trigger claustrophobic anxiety. They then rarely come into contact with their claustrophobia. In other cases, however, frequent avoidance of anxiety-provoking situations can increase claustrophobia. It is also possible that various situations that trigger claustrophobia constantly increase. Since various therapy methods usually have good chances of success, an early start of therapy can help to prevent the claustrophobia from spreading.
Complications
The complications resulting from claustrophobia are mostly of a social nature and thus negatively affect the psyche of the affected person. A pronounced or increasing claustrophobia lead to a general avoidance behavior, which includes actually harmless places (supermarkets with aisles, all rooms without windows, a corner in a restaurant, etc.). As a result, the affected person sooner or later enters social isolation because he or she can no longer participate in everyday activities. In addition, this also severely restricts the person’s entire daily life, which can be seen in a changed diet, loss of employment, or reduced exercise. Due to the self-restriction and isolation, affected individuals can develop depressive symptoms, each of which can lead to further complications. Another focus is on the substances that sufferers may take to relieve their anxiety. These include, for example, alcohol, other legal intoxicants and also illegal drugs. Those affected by claustrophobia can become dependent on the substance to the extent that they suppress their fear with drugs. This not only entails health problems, but also – depending on the substance – severe financial and social losses. Sometimes this can also be accompanied by legal problems.
When should you go to the doctor?
Claustrophobia (claustrophobia) is a condition that comes in different forms. In addition, it is not easy to recognize even for the affected person, because often symptoms from the physical area such as palpitations or dizziness are in the foreground and disguise the fact that it is actually an anxiety disorder. If claustrophobia is suspected, the general practitioner is the first point of contact because of the similar symptoms of anxiety disorder and cardiovascular disease. He is in many cases able to detect claustrophobia or to diagnose another disorder. In severe cases, he can refer the patient to a psychologist or psychotherapist. For the therapy of claustrophobia, the patient’s cooperation is essential, as he should seek out the anxiety-provoking situations in order to establish that they are harmless and not associated with any danger. In mild cases, this can be done by the patient himself on his own. However, if the fear has become too great, professional support is needed for confrontation therapy. Going to a doctor or psychologist is then important for the affected person. If an anxiety disorder that has been overcome flares up again, a visit to the doctor is also advisable. Anxiety disorders can easily become chronic, so early recognition and treatment of the vicious circle of anxiety and avoidance of the anxiety-provoking situations can be successfully prevented at an early stage.
Treatment and therapy
Depending on the level of suffering a sufferer feels from their claustrophobia, they may desire to combat their claustrophobia. To this end, there are several treatment options available: For example, treatment options for claustrophobia include various forms of psychotherapy. Among others, the so-called behavioral therapy has proven to be successful. The content of behavioral therapy can be, for example, to work with a patient on inner beliefs and thus develop a behavior that is no longer determined by claustrophobia in appropriate situations. In this way, a behavior therapist can question with his patient in several sessions how realistic the fears associated with claustrophobia really are. In parallel, one goal of behavioral therapy may be to gain positive experiences: Thus, the patient should specifically seek out situations with the therapist in which claustrophobia occurs and not flee; this is the only way to determine that feared consequences (such as suffocation) do not occur. Other forms of psychotherapy include talk therapy or analytical therapy. Depending on the severity of claustrophobia, it may also make sense to combine psychotherapy with drug therapy to alleviate claustrophobia. This makes it easier for the patient not to avoid the feared situations.
Prevention
In order to prevent severe claustrophobia, it can be useful to already deal with weaker own fears concerning this topic. It can also help not to avoid corresponding situations, so that claustrophobia does not increase.If claustrophobic symptoms increase despite this, early therapeutic measures can often counteract them.
Aftercare
Claustrophobia needs consistent aftercare following therapy to prevent unhealthy behavioral and thought patterns from flaring up again. Active cooperation of the patient is very important in this context. Thus, even after completion of therapy, places that were occupied with fear or discomfort should be visited again and again. The patient should repeatedly experience that being in places with many people is harmless and not associated with any threat. Self-help groups are often a valuable support in this regard, as discussions with affected persons enable the exchange of experiences and can often offer valuable tips. Patients with treated claustrophobia are often under an unpleasant basic tension even after treatment has been completed, against which good aftercare has a whole bundle of efficient measures to offer. The ability to trust in one’s own body again can be improved with dosed endurance training. The patient can also achieve the necessary relaxation with yoga, where he learns to pay attention to his body and his breathing. Relaxation and meditation are also part of the yoga session, which can provide holistic calming for body, mind and spirit. Further possibilities for relaxation are offered by methods such as progressive muscle relaxation according to Jacbosen or autogenic training. Relaxing baths in the evening can also be very helpful.
Here’s what you can do yourself
Claustrophobia can greatly affect everyday life. As a rule, sufferers avoid anxiety-provoking situations, but this only intensifies claustrophobia in the long term and reduces the quality of life. To overcome claustrophobia, the patient must face his or her fears: If, for example, riding in an elevator is perceived as scary, he should practice it in small steps until the fear subsides significantly. An accompanying person provides the necessary reassurance before the frightening situation can be mastered alone. To overcome a very pronounced or long-standing claustrophobia, behavioral therapy with an experienced psychotherapist is necessary in many cases. In addition to confronting fear-inducing situations, the focus is on identifying and changing certain thought patterns that trigger feelings of fear and subsequently physical symptoms. The affected person must also practice this conscious thought control consistently in everyday life so that the desired success is achieved in the long term. Learning a relaxation technique is helpful in lowering the general stress level and countering burgeoning anxiety more calmly; in acute stress situations, conscious deep breathing in and out can bring relief. Many people cope better with their claustrophobia if they can talk to other sufferers: They can find advice and support in a self-help group.
