This blog post will have knowledge of claustrophobia, what is the condition of claustrophobia, what causes claustrophobia, claustrophobia symptoms, claustrophobia treatments, and the opposite of claustrophobia.
Introduction
Claustrophobia is a common phobia and a health disorder.
About 12.5% of the world’s population is suffering from claustrophobia.
Here are the most common symptoms of claustrophobia.
Read more here on what you can do if you have claustrophobia, or if you’re caring for a loved one with this phobia.
Claustrophobia definition
“Claustrophobia is a type of mental disorder, in which you feel anxious in a closed space, such as a crowded bus or room.”
The meaning of claustrophobia is very simple: claustrophobia is made from two words, claustro+phobia which means having a fear of a place where a cluster of people is present.
Claustrophobia symptoms
We can divide the claustrophobia symptoms into two parts.
- Emotional symptoms
- Physical symptoms
Emotional symptoms
There are the following symptoms that can be linked to our emotions.
- Panic attack
- Intense anxiety
- Losing control over ourselves
- Fainting
- Knowing that this is not a serious problem, can’t overcome this situation.
Physical symptoms
There are the following symptoms that will be expressed by our body.
- Intense sweating
- Shaking
- Rapid heartbeat
- Flushing of the face
- Feel like choked
- Butterfly in the stomach
- The problem with the breathing
- Dryness of the mouth
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Crying
- The feeling of tingling in the body
What situations can trigger claustrophobia
Many types of situations can trigger claustrophobia.
I am going to mention some of the common situations that can trigger claustrophobia.
- Passing from the tunnel
- Passing from a dark stiffed road
- Using elevators
- Traveling in a crowded bus or train
- Passing from a cave
- Toilet
- Small stiffed room
- Stuck in the traffic
Who has more chances of getting claustrophobia
Anyone can suffer from claustrophobia at any age.
Although children and toddlers have more chances of getting claustrophobia.
If we talk about gender, then females have more chances than males.
What is the opposite of claustrophobia
“Agoraphobia” is the opposite of claustrophobia.
What is agoraphobia, the “opposite of claustrophobia”?
“Agoraphobia is a mental condition, in which you feel anxious in the open area”
According to the reports, people who are under 35 have more chances of getting agoraphobia.
Unlike claustrophobia, females have more chances of getting agoraphobia.
What causes claustrophobia
Scientists believe that the following factors are responsible for claustrophobia.
- According to the studies, adults with claustrophobia said that in childhood, they were stuck in a stiffed room.
- Many studies claim that people with claustrophobia have often faced triggering situations in their childhood, such as being stuck in an elevator.
- Some parents tell stories about the triggering situation of claustrophobia to their children. This can impact the child and can be a reason to have claustrophobia.
- If parents or mother or father has claustrophobia, then there are chances of getting claustrophobia in children.
- Some scientists believe that there is a part in our brain called the “amygdala” which is responsible for the fear sensation. The chemical imbalance in the amygdala can be a reason for getting claustrophobia.
Diagnosis of claustrophobia
If you continuously feel anxious and nervous in a closed space, then you should consult with a mental specialist.
The doctor reviews all the symptoms and will ask about the family medical history of claustrophobia.
How do I overcome claustrophobia?
If you have symptoms of claustrophobia, or you are diagnosed with claustrophobia, then you should avoid going to close places. But this won’t help you to overcome claustrophobia.
There is the following treatment for claustrophobia:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy or CBT: CBT is an audio therapy in which your doctor will sit in front of you. He will hear your experiences and thoughts. He will try to know the thing that is making you anxious and nervous. Doctors will teach you the ways and tips that will help you to overcome claustrophobia. You can say that this is one of the best claustrophobia treatments.
- Exposure therapy: In this therapy, the doctor will produce the situations that make you anxious and nervous, and you have to focus on an object. Doctors will help you to survive triggering situations.
- Virtual reality or VR: So this is the virtual version of exposure therapy. In exposure therapy, your doctor asks you to focus on the triggering objects, and in virtual reality therapy, your doctor will ask you to focus on the virtually triggering objects. There will be a crowded room in the computer, and the doctor will teach you to survive in that crowded room.
- Relaxation: See, in triggering situations people with claustrophobia become dreadful and anxious, so in this therapy, doctors teach you to stay calm in triggering situations.
- Medication: Anxiety and dreadness are the primary symptoms of claustrophobia. After diagnosis, the doctor will give you anti-depression and antianxiety drugs.
Claustrophobia vs agoraphobia
These terms are just opposite to each other.
Claustrophobia means having a fear of closed places, while agoraphobia means having a fear of open places.
These terms refer to a group of mental conditions in which people become anxious and nervous in certain situations.
Claustrophobia vs claustrophilia
As we have discussed above, claustrophobia means having fear of closed places. But claustrophilia does not refer to any condition which has fear sensations.
Claustrophilia is a condition in which people like closed space instead of fear.