Claustrophobia | Fear of Enclosed Spaces | How to Overcome It?

Claustrophobia, or in other words, the fear of enclosed spaces, can be a very distressing and anxiety-provoking experience for those who suffer from it. Their daily lives, social relationships, work life, and academic success can be negatively affected by this phobia. In this article, we will delve into this quite common phobia by answering the questions, "What is fear of enclosed spaces?", "What are the symptoms of claustrophobia?", and "How can one overcome fear of enclosed spaces?”.

Claustrophobia Meaning

Claustrophobia, commonly known as the fear of enclosed spaces, is defined as a fear of being in tight or enclosed areas like elevators, airplanes, small rooms, crowded spaces, shower cabins, or MRI devices. Even though people with this phobia know that their fear does not stem from real danger, they cannot help feeling anxious and tend to avoid enclosed spaces to reduce their fear. In some cases, the fear reaches such a high level that people with claustrophobia can have panic attacks. The severity of claustrophobia, a type of anxiety disorder, and the intensity of symptoms vary from person to person. While some people are afraid to enter almost all kinds of closed and tight spaces, some others only have anxiety related to specific areas, such as a plane or an MRI machine.

We all have things we fear in life. Some of us are afraid of the dark, some of being alone, and some of falling ill. The reason we define the fear of enclosed spaces not as a simple fear but as a phobia is because of its high intensity, its ability to hinder our daily activities, and its lack of connection to any real danger. As with all phobias, when our fear of enclosed spaces affects our private life, academic life, and job performance, we can say that this fear has taken an unhealthy form, that is, it has become a phobia.

People with this phobia spend most of their time avoiding tight and enclosed spaces. For example, they may avoid spending time with friends if the activity is in a cinema. They might be found suitable for a job they love but cannot succeed due to their fear of flying since the job requires traveling abroad. They may have to climb the stairs to avoid taking an elevator. As we see in these examples, fear of enclosed spaces can be a very exhausting and distressing experience for those who endure it. Many different areas of their lives, from social relationships to their work lives, are negatively impacted. Their physical health can also be adversely affected by this phobia. Even the thought of entering a confined space can cause an increase in heart rate, sweating, stomach pain, shortness of breath, and even panic attacks in these individuals.

Despite being a negative experience, fear of enclosed spaces is more common in society than we think. Studies indicate that about 12.5% of the general population struggles with claustrophobia. Despite its prevalence, the good news is that fear of enclosed spaces is among the phobias that can be effectively treated. We will be examining these proven treatments in detail below.

What Causes Claustrophobia?

Even though the fear of enclosed spaces is quite common, its exact cause is not yet known. However, scientific research focuses on some factors that could cause claustrophobia. We can list these factors as follows:

• Experiencing a traumatic event in childhood: In studies conducted with adults who have a fear of enclosed spaces, many participants report having been trapped in a place, feeling confined, or experiencing negative experiences such as bullying during their childhood.
• Experiencing a triggering event after childhood: A triggering event, such as getting stuck in an elevator or experiencing severe turbulence on an airplane, can also cause the development of fear of enclosed spaces after childhood.
• Witnessing a parent's claustrophobia in childhood: Observing a parent's anxious reactions to tight and enclosed spaces during childhood can lead to developing claustrophobia in later years.

So, what are the triggers for an existing fear of enclosed spaces? Here are the most frequently mentioned external factors:

• Tunnels
• Lifts
• Trains
• Aeroplanes
• Rooms without windows or with windows that can't be opened
• Small cars
• MRI machines
• Wide but crowded areas (like shopping malls, and concerts)
• Wearing tight clothing pieces
• Cellars
• Fitting rooms
• Revolving doors
• Thoughts of getting stuck in a tight space

Claustrophobia Symptoms

The experience and intensity of claustrophobia vary for everyone, ranging from feeling anxious to experiencing a panic attack. The severity of symptoms changes depending on what factors caused the person's fear of enclosed spaces, how long they have been dealing with it, and whether they have sought help on this issue. Here are the main symptoms of fear of enclosed spaces:

• A feeling of tightness in the chest
• Accelerated heart rate
• Difficulty breathing or feeling like you can't breathe
• Rapid breathing
• Flushing
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Ringing in the ears
• A feeling of faintness/Fear of fainting
• Dryness in the mouth
• Numbness or tingling
• Crying
• Freezing up
• Confusion, the feeling of losing direction
• Fear of losing control
• High levels of anxiety
• Intense desire to leave the environment
• Not being able to overcome fear despite knowing that there is no logical reason for it
• Fear of death

For a person experiencing severe symptoms, this experience can be quite terrifying. Because even though there is no real life-threatening danger, the individual might think that they will faint, lose control, or even die because of these symptoms. Therefore, whether the fear of enclosed spaces is mild or severe, getting support on this issue is of great importance for improving people's quality of life.

Claustrophobia and Earthquakes

We observe that people with earthquake experience, especially earthquake victims who have been under collapse, often develop claustrophobia. Even those who have not directly experienced an earthquake but have been exposed to earthquake news or footage can start to develop a fear of enclosed spaces. This fear of enclosed spaces, which arises with earthquakes, can spread to other areas of people's lives. Over time, they may begin to avoid places that are not directly related to the earthquake, such as crowded areas, MRI machines, or rooms without windows. All of this avoidance and state of anxiety can lead to difficulties in professional, social, and academic life. Therefore, it is of great importance for people suffering from earthquake-induced claustrophobia to receive appropriate support under the guidance of a professional to improve their quality of life and health.

Treatment Methods

We have underlined the negative impact of claustrophobia on people's lives and their psychological and physical health. But no one is bound to live with these negative effects! Scientific research has proven many different therapies with proven benefits. Below, we will examine these therapies and methods that we can apply ourselves.

First of all, if we think we have claustrophobia, we need to contact a mental health professional and ask for an assessment. At this point, the first thing that experts want to know is whether the fear of confined spaces is a phobia or the result of another health problem. In this context, experts usually ask how the fear of confined spaces affects our lives, how intense and frequent the fear is experienced, how it affects our daily life, and how we cope. Usually, in order to learn all the answers of these questions, they ask us to fill a questionnaire. They also examine recent changes in our lives, stress factors, or medications that may cause claustrophobia. After all this assessment, if we are considered to have it, the mental health professional will design a treatment program for us.

Here are different proven therapies for fear of enclosed spaces:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: CBT is considered one of the most effective treatments for claustrophobia, often yielding positive results within 5-10 sessions. During the therapy process, situations that trigger the fear of confined spaces are identified and ranked based on their level of fright, from the least to the most anxiety-inducing. The goal is to address and modify damaging and unrealistic thought patterns associated with confined spaces, replacing them with healthier and more realistic ones. By gradually working through these situations in order, starting from the least frightening to the most distressing, the aim is to help individuals overcome their claustrophobia.

In the cognitive behavioral therapy process, we have the opportunity to:

• Dwell on symptoms and talk about how we feel,
• Address the phobia and analyze how we respond to it,
• Learn how to recognize our thoughts and how we can change the ones that do not benefit us,
• Develop healthier coping strategies,
• Face confined spaces instead of avoiding them,
• Learn how to calm our mind and body.

• Exposure Therapy: Although its name may leave a negative impression, Exposure Therapy is a highly effective and scientifically proven therapy method against phobias. This therapy method is based on confronting the client with his phobia over time in a way that is not dangerous and damaging. This approach provides individuals with fear the opportunity to replace the unrealistic information that triggers their fear with more realistic perspectives. Avoiding situations that trigger fear, such as constantly using stairs instead of lifts, limits the chance to evaluate the reality of the fear and develop effective coping methods. The therapy process involves employing various strategies to confront fear, ranging from exposure to the fearful situation in real life to visualizing it in the mind.

In addition to psychotherapies, experts sometimes prefer to support the therapy process with short-term medication. It is important to remember that these medications are recommended after a comprehensive assessment. When the person learns to cope with the fear of closed spaces in a healthy way through therapy, the medication is reduced and discontinued in a controlled manner.

In addition to the therapy methods we have examined above, there are some strategies that we can apply in our daily lives to help ourselves:

• Relaxation exercises: Relaxation exercises such as breathing exercises, mindfulness, muscle relaxation exercises, meditation, etc. help us to deal with fears more comfortably and reduce the symptoms of claustrophobia. If you wish, you can take a step in this direction by using the wellbeing exercises on the Relate App!

• Support groups: By joining a support group, you can share your experience with people who have the same fear as you. In this way, you can realize that you are not alone and learn how other people cope with claustrophobia.