what is Claustrophobia,causes,symptoms and how to overcome being claustrophobic

 Claustrophobia is an unreasonable overwhelming fear of confinement or intense feeling of being closed in at a small space or dark place.

A pretty young lady said I have been claustrophobic since childhood and she has suffered a great deal. The public toilet, cinemas and closed rooms without windows were such a big problem for her. For public toilets if she can't climb over, the door is left open. She also avoided the elevator at all cost. Though driving in underground garages was a problem by constant practice she managed to do it.

For her, the train is a no go area especially if the train stops in the middle of its tracks and unfortunately for her, her best means of getting to school fast was the train and she is always afraid that the train will stop on the track, which could trigger a panic attack. Subsequently her fear of small spaces caused her to use the bus most frequently and as a result, she is always late to school.

She most times cancel her appointments if the only means to get there was the train. She ones had to do MRI she could not last in the tube for a minute

Another claustrophobic victim who has found her way out of the condition. For her and most people it that they never get on the plane. Plane trips scare the hell out of them, they always have a panic attack. Most at times it about the boarding, waiting in the site, taxing along the runway, the closing of the door, the size and internal condition of the plane.

For we humans Feeling fear is a normal reaction, and phobia may not be a disease, but a mental disorder. Fear is a natural anxiety of humans that represents a psychological or physiological reaction to some threat. Phobia is characterized by a great fear, which can be of an animal, an object or a situation that does not bring a real danger, and yet causes extreme anxiety.

What is claustrophobia?

Claustrophobia is an anxiety disorder, yes when you are claustrophobic you have this unreasonable fear of closed spaces and narrowness or a fear of being locked up in a tight space.

Claustrophobia is one of the so-called specific phobias.  A specific phobia is an unreasonable fear of very specific objects or situations, such as dogs, blood, spiders or even closed/confined spaces, as is the case with claustrophobia.

Like the practical narrations, the fear of small spaces is an excessive fear which is fueled by staying in confined spaces or just having the idea of being closed in with no escape. A classic example is like the above stories where some cannot take a ride on the plane or elevator and for some, the idea of being buried alive as described in movies can cause a trigger. The other common form is the fear of larger crowds or space (agoraphobia). A concert by a popular band or a visit to disco can become an insurmountable hurdle for those affected. If you are claustrophobic it becomes very hard to use subways and even going through a tunnel in traffic also causes this kind of reaction. But in some cases, the dread is so much that one cannot even close the door to his own room.

 Claustrophobia is one of the most common phobias, and like any other, its severity can vary greatly from person to person. It is estimated that about five to eight percent of the world’s population has claustrophobic anxiety of various kinds, with twice as many women affected.  Sufferers of the condition turn to hide it as long as possible. Because the fear of closed space is often understood as a flaw. In a perceived threatening situation sufferer’s panic, which can express themselves in physical symptoms such as sweating and shortness of breath. If a sufferer does not come in contact with the source of their fear very often, it may not affect their life. Although, in some cases, even thinking about the thing they fear may cause the person an anticipatory anxiety

You may be wondering whether Claustrophobia can be treated, yes a large number of claustrophobics have testified to that effect. There are variety of treatments for specific phobias but if left untreated, this anxiety disorder can lead to significant restrictions for those affected. The increasing fears often prevent the possibility to travel or participate professionally in seminars or congresses or can organize their life avoiding the aspect or the very thing that is causing the fear.

Triggers of claustrophobic panic attacks

Here is a list of what triggers most claustrophobic's panic attack. This list is based on practical experiences of sufferers. Most often the triggers depend on the severity of the phobia and the cause of the anxiety disorder. While some sufferers are "only" afraid in elevators, others cannot bear to stay in any enclosed or confined space. For many claustrophobic, as mentioned in the narrative certain medical examinations are like a nightmare. So there is nothing worse for many than to get into magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), People with claustrophobic fears often cannot get through the MRI.

• small windowless rooms
• small cars
• elevators
• MRI or CT scanners
• crowded rooms
• closets
• public restrooms
• car washes
• revolving doors
• changing rooms
• tunnels
• plane, bus, train, metro or tram
• closed, confined spaces
• premises with a big crowd
• cinema hall, opera or theater
• lifts
• changing rooms
• public toilets

What's it like being claustrophobic?

Claustrophobic increasing fears often prevent the possibility to travel or participate professionally in seminars or congresses or can organize their life avoiding the aspect or the very thing that is causing the fear. 

One claustrophobic said it impossible for him to ride the elevator and the idea of flying make him feel dizzy. He always walks more than 17 floors just to escape his fear. Like this gentleman, claustrophobics will do anything possible to escape the situation unless they can’t escape or leave if they are suddenly overwhelmed by the fear they lose control.    

Many are uncomfortable when people come too close. Claustrophobics are also often sensitive to the suffocating effects of crowds. For this reason, people with claustrophobia can also avoid intimate engagements and relationships, resulting in philophobia. Some even feel uncomfortable wearing goggles, masks, tight clothing and jewelry because of the suffocating feelings these objects cause physically and symbolically.

Claustrophobics can feel this trapped sensations when they are stuck on an open road or in a traffic jam, in the middle of a crowd or in the middle of an island. They think they are suffocating, dying, going crazy or passing out. And that's why those affected want only one thing: escape the situation as quickly as possible. Feeling stuck (literally or symbolically) and their anticipation produces anxiety. And feeling unable to escape amplifies this anxiety, creating a real panic.

What are the causes of Claustrophobia?

Hereditary 

Claustrophobia can run in families. New research has shown that it is possible for some information to be inherited biologically through chemical changes that occur in DNA. Researchers at the Emory University School of Medicine, in Atlanta, found that mice can pass on learned information about traumatic or stressful experiences. Transl. Psychiatry also in 2013 published a study, saying that mice deficient in Gpm6a had no obvious abnormalities, but could be induced to develop claustrophobia. A single gene encoding a stress-regulated neuronal protein, GPm6a, can cause claustrophobia. They also made mention that, mutations of the Gpm6a gene were more common in claustrophobic individuals than those without claustrophobia.

 Having a smaller Amygdala

 This is the part of the brain that controls how the body processes fear and genetic factors, as an evolutionary survival mechanism. The size of a person's amygdala can influence a person's susceptibility to anxiety disorders, including claustrophobia.  Amygdala is one of the smallest structures in the brain, but also one of the most powerful. In a study, people with panic disorders had smaller volume of amygdala compared to people without panic disorder.

Trauma of childhood

Early trauma in life is probably another contributor to claustrophobia. Like other phobias, the fear of closed environments may originate from a trauma experienced during childhood and that persists throughout life.

Claustrophobia can occur when confinement is linked to danger by the brain, becoming a trigger for panic symptoms. Being trapped in a confined space while a child, such as an elevator, subway or even a dark room, generates a negative memory that can turn into claustrophobia in adulthood. Traumatic birth is also believed by some to cause Claustrophobia. But not all children who go through a traumatic situation develop claustrophobia hence his situation is seen as a risk factor.

Claustrophobia transmitted by parents

A child growing up with a parent who has claustrophobia may develop claustrophobia even if the child does not suffer any trauma. The parent can induce this fear into the child and this happens unconsciously. This sense of fear and anxiety can be conveyed to the children during their developmental stage. This negative learning that is conveyed by avoiding lifts or showing dread of being in an enclosed space induces the sense of danger to the child who may develop the same parent problem. In addition, people are particularly susceptible to fear of space, whose parents in their childhood were too anxious and exaggerated safety-minded with them. They have often not learned to take responsibility in stressful situations and to overcome them alone successfully.

What are the symptoms of claustrophobia?

Claustrophobia is characterized mainly by the feeling of fear, anguish, and anxiety, inappropriate to the situation, which lacks much of a real foundation. In this case, it is mainly about fears of confined spaces with narrow boundaries and larger crowds or even when they imagine such a situation, like exaggerated fear of being locked up. Many sufferers know that their fear is actually unfounded. Nevertheless, they do not manage to overcome their fears on their own. Instead, they are dominated by their fear. Depending on the severity of the phobia, there may be sensations of anxiety or discomfort or even severe panic. Here are clear symptoms of acute claustrophobia. 

• sweating and/or chills
• accelerated heart rate and a rise in blood pressure
• dizziness, fainting spells, and lightheadedness
• dry mouth
• hyperventilation
• hot flashes
• shaking or trembling and a sense of "butterflies" in the stomach
• nausea
• headache
• numbness
• a choking sensation
• tightness in the chest/chest pain and difficulty breathing
• an urge to use the bathroom
• confusion or disorientation
• fear of harm or illness

Why you should overcome claustrophobia

Limit your life

Personally, if you are claustrophobic you would have noticed that you have a lot of restrictions. You are just not free within yourself. For you the elevator you have made a big cross on it, the train is a no go area and you never take the bus. You would never travel to another state or country because you have to cross some tunnels or ride a plane. You just can’t live a normal life. You wish to visit a place or love one but you are just stuck. You had a better job with great opportunity but you turned it down just because you are claustrophobic. You have no control over your life its time to take control over your life before it too late.

Can become genetic or can be easily passed on.

Your fear of closed spaces can be passed on to your kids genetically or induced

As parents our children learn from us, they quickly internalize we parents our behavior. I have done a bit of market research due to that, I have had the opportunity to interact with a large number of people. One particular project I was part of was about people’s behavior towards alcohol intake. Most of our respondents who were alcohol addicts said that what influenced them to start taking alcohol was because they saw their parent taking it. It may interest you to know that these alcohol addict’s parents were unconscious of the fact that what they were doing was being picked by their children. So there is a high possibility that your child can take after your anxious nature and develop claustrophobia. Have you noticed how overprotective you are as a claustrophobic parent especially when it comes to the things that trigger your panic attacks? Research has shown that the probability that your child can suffer the same fate as you is 15%. You are unknowingly introducing your child gradually to become claustrophobic. Some of these learned behaviors take a long time to surface and it most times raises its ugly head when it is at it worse.

It unreasonable

Let say on your way home from work you met a nursing mother with her baby at her back and with a heavy load on her head. Looking at the woman’s frustration you decide to give her a ride home. A Good Samaritan you are you quickly come out of your car to help her with the load. Then to your “shockprise” she says she will carry the load on her head while sitting in the car. Reluctantly you opened the door for her to sit then you drove her home with the load on her head while sitting. You have already concluded on the woman in your mind, this woman is not serious, this behavior is irrational and you are asking yourself is this woman thinking or is all well with her. Upon your arrival, you were curious about knowing why she refused to take off the load and she goes like "I  didn’t want to dirty the car" while your car is a pick-up.

Annoying right, Yes his is how being claustrophobic is its irrational behavior. Let me say, you have no logical grounds to your self-inflicted and self-imposed torture. You suffering is actually caused by nothing but an act of cowardice, a depraved mind which needs a paradigm shift.

It will ruin your life

Have you come across someone who is so much addicted to drugs so much that they just can’t make anything manful out of their life. Such people in my country we call them "jonkies". Most claustrophobics have reported that their fear of closed space has really muffled their lives. Some have lost their relationships, well-paid jobs and a host of things that would have made their stay on this planet as easy as bread and bather. Your self-inflicted anxiety will make your life full of suffering and pain. Do you know the difference between the mightier and the ordinary, here it is, the former face their fears while the latter take to their heels at the sight of what cause them fear.

Examination and diagnosis of claustrophobia

Symptoms such as anxiety, sweats, or palpitations are typical of an anxiety disorder such as claustrophobia. But they can also occur in various physical disorders, such as in hyperthyroidism. In order to rule out an organic cause, the doctor will physically examine his patient and, if necessary. This includes the acquisition of some blood values, an electrocardiogram (ECG) or an examination of the thyroid gland by means of ultrasound.

In some cases, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide information about pathological changes in the brain as the cause of anxiety. This method, however, is more likely to be used in terms of getting more information for further references. However, such an investigation is a considerable challenge especially for people with claustrophobia. Because the investigation in the "tube" is here itself an element triggering anxiety.  

Using standardized questionnaires, the doctor or psychologist first asks about the symptoms. The therapist is able to quickly identify the manifestations, symptoms, and common triggers. In addition, he will want to know when the symptoms occur, how long they last and whether the anxiety is linked to certain situations or objects. He also focuses his attention on whether, in addition to claustrophobia, other mental illnesses such as depression and agoraphobia can be diagnosed. Because in order to restore the mental well-being, these also have to be treated.

How to ease these symptoms during a panic attack?

Many people with claustrophobia avoid the spaces that cause the disorder. This does not work well as a long term solution because it is possible to eventually find yourself in an inevitable scary situation. There are ways, however, of dealing with a panic attack due to claustrophobia such as:

Breathe in slowly and deeply, counting up to three with each breath;

Concentrate on something secure, like time passing on your watch;

Remind yourself repeatedly that your fear and anxiety will pass;

Challenge what is triggering your attack by repeating that fear is irrational;

Visualize and focus on a place or moment that will calm you down.

It is also important not to resist the attack when it is happening. Instead, accept what is happening. Try to remember that it is okay to experience these feelings, reaffirming that the sensations are fleeting.

How to overcome Claustrophobia

Recognize that you have a problem

There is this Christian story about Adam and Eve. The two were warned by their creator not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. But unfortunately, they disobeyed. Upon eating the forbidden fruit they realized they were naked and hid from their creator. The two recognized their problem they recognized that they have disobeyed their maker and they become ashamed of themselves because they now knew they were naked. The first step to overcoming claustrophobia is to become aware and accept that you are naked. If you do not see your condition as a problem then you are not ready to make any change that will put your life back on track.

Understand that your problem is self-inflected

Let say you have a phone loaded with air time, the battery fully charged, I mean everything is perfect with the phone. Suddenly armed robbers broke into your home and even before they get access to the rooms it took about 15 minutes and you were just feeling lazy to call the police. They finally had access, raided you home and gave you a beating of your life. Now, who will you blame, the authorities or yourself? You had all the power at your disposal to overcome the robbers but waved it. So the robbers did what they wish because you allowed it. Likewise claustrophobia the fear is self-made, you are your own enemy, not the elevator, tunnel, MRI or the plane. You have just programmed yourself, to react negatively to things that in sense are not dangerous.

Know that you are not in this alone

Yes, the truth is that you are not the only person suffering from the fear of closed spaces. About one million searches are done on Google every month about claustrophobia. Research has also shown that about 5-10% of the world's population is claustrophobic. So embrace yourself, never lose hope nor think that you are the only one suffering from the condition.

Be ready to go through the process

Overcoming claustrophobia takes time, which means you need a lot of patience to overcome your condition. For a number of people who went through claustrophobia, treatment says it really takes time. You need to take tests, have many engagements with your doctor or therapist, and even do activities which will be very uncomfortable. So psych up your mind because the journey is long and it needs persistence determinations and patience.

You need to recognize that you need help

Everyone in this life needs help. Most people who suffer from claustrophobia say they feel embarrassed when it occurs and even feel shy to share their problem. There is no need to feel shy about anything, what you need is help. So overcome your shyness and talk to someone you think can help you.

Know that it’s just your mind.

Yes, what is happening is just your mind playing tricks on you. Your fear actually has no grounds. Would you die by sitting in a plane, bus, train or riding the elevator, the answer is a big fat no. Due to your past experience, your mind has tagged the things that trigger your panic attack as unfriendly. So anytime you come in contact with these things your emotion are alerted and you become defensive and in circumstances that you can’t escape, then you begin to panic. It like traveling on a long road suddenly in a distance you see water on the road but in sense, it's not water, it a mirage.

Claustrophobia treatment

There is yet no known effective drug treatment for anxiety disorder or a drug that can cure claustrophobia, the good news is that these anxiety disorders can be treated and for claustrophobia treatment, there are several possibilities.  Drug treatment, Behavior therapy, and Hypnosis are the main methods of treatment. The sooner the therapy begins, the better the chance of being able to completely combat the condition. 

 Drug treatment

 Certain medications can relieve the patient. Anti-anxiety medications and antidepressants are sometimes used to help relieve the symptoms associated with claustrophobia. For example, Medications like tranquilizers, antidepressants and beta-blockers can be used to treat the physical symptoms of the condition. However, drug treatment should only be a temporary measure. Because drugs cannot solve this problem permanently nor cure. Although the medication does not always solve, it reduces anxiety so that the person can deal more easily with the problem.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy

Identifying and changing thoughts, beliefs and reactions regarding that original source that triggered the phobia with the help of a cognitive-behavioral therapist. Cognitive therapy is an approach with a high success rate and that is highly effective in this type of situation. In this type of cognitive behavioral therapies. First, the therapist work teaching patient to recognize their thought that makes them reach a conclusion that is not very useful for them, that is the thoughts that leads them to have dysfunctional thoughts and behavior. The therapies get patient to be able to reflect on their way of thinking and then they will help the victim put into practice techniques to destroy this mental process and replace it with another, more constructive one.

Treating anxiety by yourself

 Depending on the severity of the phobia and the severity of those affected, claustrophobic people can treat their anxiety themselves. For example, it often helps to consciously expose oneself to fears and to talk about it with other people. In this way, they manage to overcome the claustrophobia and they can get rid of them permanently.

Relaxation technique

Some people with claustrophobia are helped to learn a technique. Relaxation techniques and stress relief are often used with other therapeutic approaches. Targeted relaxation can help you to stay calm even in a state of anxiety and to relax altogether. Relaxation techniques can include things like specific forms of breathing, muscle relaxation training, guided mental imagery or comforting self-talk. Learning these methods enables the patient to relax even in threatening situations.

Hypnosis

A popular and widely used treatment for claustrophobia is hypnotherapy, Hypnotherapy can also be effective. This usually consists of systematic desensitization and other therapeutic techniques conducted under hypnosis by a clinical hypnotherapist which brings to light the causes of the anxiety disorder. Claustrophobia treatment through hypnosis generates new learning and reorients, recovers, and modifies this behavior toward healthier attitudes. Hypnosis has been one of the most effective treatment options for Claustrophobia in the world.

Practical thing People have than to overcome claustrophobia

The list here, are practical ways by which a number of claustrophobics have combated the condition.

On the plane several rows from the back some choose to sit on the aisle and it works form them.

At all cost if possible just do away with night flights.

Take something interesting along to read on the train, flight or bus.

Load your phone or music player with your favorite songs.

Take planes that are a bit spacious if possible do business class.

Some reported using the stand up or sit down MRI instead of the closed.

You can watch a movie on the plane, bus or train.

A number of people used anxiety medication such as Xanax, Valium, Ativan etc but this drugs were really relative in terms of use.

You can close your eyes or use something to cover your eyes during MRI sections. It worked for some people.

For some claustrophobics sleeping on the flight seems to work for them but some derided the idea of sleeping on the plane.

You can play games on your phone.

They always wear layered clothing just in case things get hot they can easily take it off.

If possible sit with a family or friend, for many it works.

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