FEAROF

  • Phobia List
  • Top 10 Phobias
  • Anxiety Test
  • What is Fear?
  • Statistics
  • Cure
  • Phobias
  • Reader Stories
  • Chat
  • About
You are here: Home / Phobias / Fear of Small Spaces Phobia – Claustrophobia

Fear of Small Spaces Phobia – Claustrophobia

By Jacob Olesen 29 Comments

Claustrophobia

Claustrophobia is a type of situational phobia (fear of certain situations) where an individual experiences great fear of small or enclosed spaces. A person suffering from Claustrophobia might be afraid of going in elevators. Many claustrophobic individuals are also known to fear being inside tunnels, caves, mines, or airplanes. They typically report seeing images of being trapped or unable to escape from such places and are known to go to great lengths to avoid them.

Causes of fear of small and enclosed spaces

Claustrophobia is a common social phobia affecting nearly 4% people worldwide. Scientists believe that the following reasons may lead to this phobia:

  1. Fear of Small Spaces Phobia - ClaustrophobiaPeople with spatial distortion are more likely to fear enclosed and small spaces. They tend to have an exaggerated sense of their personal space.
  2. Generally, people with higher tendency towards anxiety disorders are also likelier to be claustrophobic.
  3. Those with a history of panic disorder or prone to panic attacks are likelier to have the fear of small and confined spaces.
  4. Traumatic past experiences are also known to play a role in the development of the fear of small spaces. For example, children that have been accidently trapped in closets or punished are at higher risks for developing Claustrophobia.
  5. Some theories also suggest that it could be an evolutionary phobia, which means that the fear of small spaces could have some evolutionary benefit.

Thus, the development of this social phobia is complex but the treatment for it almost always focuses on reducing the sufferer’s anxiety.

Symptoms of Claustrophobia

The essence of this phobia is the fear of being trapped or unable to escape or that of “being buried alive”. Thus, a sufferer might experience both physical and psychological symptoms.

Quiz: Do You Have an Anxiety Disorder? Take the Test Now

Physical symptoms

  • Respiratory symptoms such as being choked or unable to breathe
  • Hyperventilation
  • Accelerated heartbeat
  • Sweating
  • Fainting
  • Feeling sick or nauseated
  • Shaking

Psychological symptoms

  • Thoughts or images of being buried alive or trapped
  • Thoughts of death
  • Feeling like running away
  • Inability to distinguish between what is real and unreal

Treatment for the fear of small spaces phobia

Sometimes, merely the thought of treatment might be frightening to a person with extreme Claustrophobia. The fact that a majority of the treatment options consist of facing one’s fears also makes the individual feel more frightened or anxious. It is important that friends and family members offer utmost support and encouragement to the phobic. Many psychotherapists are known to encourage friends/family members to attend treatment sessions along with the individuals seeking the therapy.

  • Flooding/exposure therapy– In this method, the patient is gradually introduced to his fears, in this case, small or enclosed spaces, until s/he realizes that no harm has come despite encountering one’s object of dread.
  • Self help techniques– Patients can follow a few self help routines to overcome the fear of small spaces. For example, instead of rushing to get off the elevators, one can stay in them and go up/down several times to habituate oneself to the feelings of anxiety. Gradually, one can also work up to greater/severe fears and learn to control one’s anxiety until it goes away completely. Deep breathing, visualization, meditation and Yoga are also known to help control panic attacks.
  • Modeling techniques– In this type of therapy, patients are encouraged to watch people confront their objects of fear with confidence and made to replicate or imitate the behavior.
  • Cognitive behavior Therapy– This therapy is known to be effective in treating Claustrophobia by helping the individual confront his fearful thoughts and change his attitude towards his object of fear.
  • Drugs– Certain tranquilizers or anti depressants may be given based on severity of the Claustrophobia. However, long term use of these medicines should be avoided as many are known to have withdrawal symptoms.

To normal people, Claustrophobia might seem extreme or irrational, but to the person who suffers from it, it can be debilitating and impact his/her day to day life. However, one must take heart in the fact that with appropriate treatment it is possible to completely overcome one’s fear of small spaces.

Comments

  1. Luci says

    July 30, 2019 at 1:09 am

    If I’m in a room where I can touch two walls that are within my arm span, I pass out. I can’t even go into a bathroom stall. If possible, I go into a larger, singular bathroom, and if that’s not available, I go into the handicap stall. Once, my teacher pulled me out of class to talk to me, and he led me to a smaller room, and after 30 seconds, I passed out. This is disabling to me, and it affects me on a day-to-day basis.

    Reply
  2. Alexis says

    March 30, 2019 at 2:37 pm

    I’m scared of schools because they get crowded but I’m not scared of elevators.

    Reply
  3. harderkai4 says

    October 11, 2018 at 2:50 pm

    I sometimes feel like im getting choked if im in an elevator

    Reply
  4. Jason says

    July 24, 2018 at 1:18 am

    It may not be claustrophobia, but i have a fear that when i get my hand, leg or head into a small space, i fear that it may not come out

    Reply
  5. clark says

    February 21, 2018 at 1:30 pm

    I have claustrophobia sometimes i forget to breathe.

    Reply
  6. Shabana says

    November 9, 2017 at 6:59 pm

    Whenever I am in an enclosed space whatever it is rooms, houses or any other enclosed space spacialy which are closed by outerside or locked by other people and he also has the key and I have no idea where is the key I became out of control. I immediately want the key otherwise I think everything is lost.

    Reply
  7. Imran says

    October 23, 2017 at 11:46 am

    I fear getting stuck in tight places, whereby the only way to escape is to turn back. But, you can’t and there is no way forward.

    Reply
    • Diego says

      November 9, 2020 at 7:16 pm

      This is honestly very relatable.

      Reply
  8. Neena singh says

    March 12, 2017 at 7:44 pm

    I somehow tend to think I am trapped in a small place.. Or imagine some one built in a wall like in the movie Mughal e Azam.. Then I just want to get up can’t sleep…. Walk around to get over that feeling… usually happens at night

    Reply
    • brian says

      October 20, 2017 at 7:03 pm

      you can do it

      Reply
    • brian says

      October 26, 2017 at 6:55 pm

      i will try to help you

      Reply
  9. marquia says

    December 1, 2016 at 2:47 pm

    im afraid of being in small elevators

    Reply
  10. zaheer says

    October 15, 2016 at 11:19 am

    I cannot travel in a vehicle sitting in rear seats and without an option to open a window. I have to travel by air but i am much worried i will not be able to sit in airplane but my family is heaping pressure on me to travel. i do not know what should i do.

    Reply
    • Ragini says

      January 25, 2017 at 6:29 am

      same here, as per many peoples suggestion i have started meditation lets hope for better.

      Reply
  11. tiffany says

    October 10, 2016 at 12:01 am

    I have a fear of small spaces like riding in an elevator.

    Reply
  12. Adam says

    September 15, 2016 at 5:33 am

    I get lightheaded in enclosed areas and feel the urge to go to a restroom and puke.

    Reply
  13. Andrew says

    June 30, 2016 at 5:34 am

    I sometimes think about being trapped in either a space only big enough to fit my body or being trapped in a mold of myself.

    Reply
  14. Faye says

    February 15, 2016 at 11:32 pm

    I hate small and large areas. I faint if someone forces me into an elevator and watching people on TV in small spaces makes me feel like I’m them.

    Reply
    • Dff says

      May 10, 2016 at 8:08 am

      Why are people forcing you into elevators on a regular basis to begin with??

      Reply
    • Ragini says

      January 25, 2017 at 6:33 am

      Im suffering same. People dont realize my suffering. Some laugh at me, some take it as irrational but i know how im strugling with this problem.

      Reply
  15. person says

    November 18, 2015 at 5:26 pm

    Is there a related phobia, where the trigger isn’t actually small spaces, but fearing being trapped?

    Reply
    • anonymous says

      March 6, 2021 at 8:49 am

      Claustrophobia is the fear of both small spaces and being trapped I believe. I’m not 100% sure on this.

      Reply
  16. jarrod long says

    September 2, 2015 at 10:11 am

    Whenever I am in an enclosed space I feel like everything is fading away.

    Reply
    • A.J says

      June 16, 2017 at 1:47 am

      i freak out if someone puts a blanket on my head

      Reply
      • Lina says

        October 2, 2020 at 12:41 pm

        I can’t ever put a blanket over my head because then I can’t breathe properly. Even if there is a big hole, I still can’t. I start suffocating.

        Reply
  17. Yasmine says

    August 10, 2015 at 3:44 am

    I tend to be irritated and want to move away from a close huge crowd of people, especially in school. I almost want to scream my lungs out “Move out of my way”. When there’s so many people squished next to me, then I can’t breathe. It’s definitely a fear of mine :(

    Reply
    • Luci says

      July 30, 2019 at 1:01 am

      That is called enochlophbia, just so you know

      Reply
    • Lina says

      October 2, 2020 at 12:44 pm

      Same here. I can’t even stand being so close to a single person. If I can tell or feel someone close to me, I stay saying ‘move, I can barely breathe’, which is half true. I can breathe but I feel like I won’t be able to breathe and they’re not even that close.

      Reply
  18. jaya says

    July 6, 2015 at 6:56 am

    I have a fear of being blind, deaf and dumb, where I would not be able to communicate, won’t know time and place, people around me, won’t be able to end my life on my own. I want to die before that situation arrives.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

AS FEATURED ON
As featured on these websites
About FEAROF · Contact · Privacy Policy · Disclaimer · Copyright © 2023