Fear and Phobias 4: Claustrophobia
Photo Credit: Fabio Venni
People with this phobia have a heightened sense of fear of their environment and will scan the environment for quick points of escape should they feel trapped. Some people will only accept jobs where they can easily walk to their office without taking an elevator or even walking up a flight of stairs. Again, the fear may have been formed by having had a panic attack in one of these places.
The treatment can include medication, behavioral techniques such as relaxation breathing, deep muscle relaxation, thought stopping, modeling behavior and flooding. The latter technique involves extreme exposure to the fear place.
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15 Comments:
I'm not sure if I am truly claustrophobic. I am not afraid of MRIs, elevators, small cars, closets or the normal tight, cramped spaces, but; I cannot sleep in a sleeping bag or have my covers tucked in tight around me. I also get very afraid to have anything covering my face, especially bed covers. I am guessing something happened when I was young that involved bedding and covering me up.
I am not sure if i am truly claustrophic either. Like at church, i have to be on the end of the pew or have no one around me or i get figity and sart freaking out. And the sane in cars, if im between 2 people, i get mad at them. And i start tapping my feet or drumming my fingers, usually to a point were my leg goes numb. I dont know if all thes is from an incedent, or what.
I am not sure what is going on, but my reaction is initially fear of any confined space that quickly turns to seething anger and then can make me feel violent. I suffer from deppression too. I am currently facing jail time for a situation involving been confined in a small space,which I would commit suicide before I go to jail.
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can you tell me if i'm truly claustrophobic. went i to see the doctor after 20 min. i stare to pace get frantic and tearing. went i go on road trip i have to seat on front and went i get on a plane have to seat on the window.went i get up in the morning i have to open window and door.i suffer from maniac deppression ,bypolar and schisofreniac,but went i get deppress i have to lock myself in the dark take the phone of the hook don't want to got out and missed a lots of my appointment
There is no doubt that I am claustrophobic. I don't take elevators unless I have too. I don't mind the stairs though. I even have a hard time riding through tunnels. It has most definitely impacted my life. I panic anytime I feel trapped. I can't even do the walk through in the aquarium.
I too know I am claustrophobic. I get severe panic attacks in small spaces and anywhere I feel trapped. I will fight and struggle untill I get free and feel safe. I hate being in a large crowd esp. in a small space. Occassionally I freak out in cars if I am in them for longer periods of time. I cant stand anything touching my face and freak out if the blankets come up around my neck. When i freak out I even have trouble breathing and begin to breathe heavily and sometimes even wheeze.
You guys are talking about the same things I suffer from. I don't always fear small spaces, but I have issues with blankets being around my neck or face. I also can't wear tight neck shirts or choker style necklaces. I get panicky and stressed out. I don't like being in large crowds of people if they are tightly packed. I also can't sit in the middle in cars or planes.
whenever im in an inclosed space i cant finish my sentences like
claustrophobia is effecting my life. i will not ride in the back of a two door car, i wont go in elevators, i always scan rooms when im entering them, will only do mris feet first... i need help..
i am truly claustrophobic. it controls me in alot of ways, I live on the upper level of an apt. buildimg.I will only ride on the elevator with other people.i have tried to ride it alone and had a major anziety attack.
I am terribly claustrophobic. It stems from childhood when I was captured in a tightly made bed. I fell between the bed and the wall. It was so tight I could no move. I could barely yell and I was there for sometime before mom got me out. Now I must take medications when flying or undergoing MRI scans. Any tight space or limiting device bolts me into instant panic. I have terrifying dreams of being dungeoned in a dark tiny space. I wake up screaming and cannot return to bed, often for days. I try not to allow it to control me, but that is impossible.
When I was younger I had no problem with small confined spaces. I worked on a number of below ground construction projects in deep excavations. Over the past ten or so years I have become more cautious and concerned about elevators/ back seats of 2 door cars. I refuse to board an air plane. I have quit smoking / stopped drinking /recently diagnosed with Type II diabtes and take beta blockers for heart condition.
I don't know what I have. Its been about 1-1/2 years since I had an attack. I had to go to a meeting in conference room in a basement of a local hospital. I had to go down a long hallway - no windows and down 2 winding stairs into the basement into a room that was very warm with computers. No windows. I wanted to scream? I was overwhelmed.
Also, I won't ride on elevators only the ones with windows to look out of. No airplanes either although my husband retired from the air force.
This all started when I was in a van with the windows rolled up. We pulled into the garage and my cousin rolled up the windows before I got out. I keep thinking about this. It is a strange feeling.
ANY COMMENTS/HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THANKS - ANONYMOUS 64.
i'm not sure if i am truly claustrophobic. i went for an MRI on 4/17/08 and when i got on the table they put a advise over my chest and when the table starting to move my arms were over my head and i was in a tight place where i just panic and could not do the MRI test. so how do u know if a person has claustrophobic?
is it possible to develope clostrophobia in the teen years becasue when im at school walkingthru the halls there are a lot of people ealking too and i find it hard to breathe although i can sit in aq closet r small car and be fine ( not saying im in the closet) please respond
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