Claustrophobia is a form of anxiety disorder where a person exhibits an extreme and unreasonable fear
of small or enclosed spaces. During an attack, both physical and emotional reactions may be experienced.
Claustrophobia is characterized by feelings of being trapped and having no means to find an exit.
About one in 65 Americans has suffered some form of claustrophobia while others have the disorder as
a chronic condition. It is not clear what causes claustrophobia, but it can be hereditary. The first experience
of claustrophobia usually occurs in early childhood or adolescence and
develops from there. It usually disappears when a person reaches adulthood.
Claustrophobia can be overcome, or at least be effectively managed. If left untreated, it can limit normal day-to-day,
social, professional and personal activities.
Symptoms of claustrophobia
The symptoms usually mimic those that people with anxiety disorder suffer from: trembling, hyperventilation,
sweating, dizziness, fainting and feelings of panic and terror. When in an enclosed room or space, people
with claustrophobia compulsively try to escape, look for an exit or begin to feel fear once the door is closed.
They may also consciously try to avoid riding elevators, planes, trains and closed cars.
Claustrophobia Treatments
Depending on the severity of the disorder, one or a combination of treatments may be used to either manage or
eliminate it. Probably the most common treatment used is psychotherapy, which involves counseling to help a
person overcome his fear of enclosed spaces and handle situations that trigger a claustrophobic attack.
Another common way to deal with claustrophobia is by using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. CBT involves teaching
a person to control his thinking process when exposed to situations that induce fear and panic.
By controlling his thoughts, a person suffering from claustrophobia learns to change his reaction from
fear to calmness.
Often, CBT exposes a person to an actual 'trigger' situation to help him get used to the feeling and practice
managing his reactions. This is called 'flooding' and the exposure lasts until the person is able to
manage his phobia and the feeling of panic passes. Once he realizes that nothing actually harmful happened to him,
he will feel more confident the next time the same situation occurs.
While the exposure may be controlled (the person who has claustrophobia either has someone with him in the room or
has someone guiding him as he tries to handle himself within the room), the situation is real to the person
and he can apply the coping techniques taught to him to prevent him from giving in to extreme reactions.
Another form of psychotherapy is counter-conditioning. The victim is still exposed to trigger situations,
only this time, the exposure is done gradually and he copes with his feelings by using visualization and
relaxation techniques.
If neither flooding nor counter-conditioning is effective, a technique called modeling may be used.
Another person or 'model' is assigned to confront a trigger situation without exhibiting fear and a
claustrophobic person is encouraged to emulate the same behavior.
Medication (drugs) are also used to treat depression or anxiety. They will not cure claustrophobia, but
they help the person regulate physical symptoms associated with the disorder. Drugs
can help bring back an increased heart rate to normal or prevent sweating and agitation by
helping the body to relax. This form of treatment is most effective if used in combination with psychotherapy.
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