Claustrophobia (also known as cabin fever) is the irrational fear of being closed in or – generally speaking – being in narrow spaces. Discuss your fear with us or get rid off your anxiety disorder with a proven method by PanicAway.com
One of the most common phobias is claustrophobia, the fear of enclosed spaces. An interesting study indicates that anywhere from 5–7% of the world population is affected by severe claustrophobia, but only a small percentage of these people receive some kind of treatment for the disorder.[1]
Of course it is understandable to be afraid of being ‘closed in’ but developing a phobia is never a good idea, whatever frightens you. Being phobic is indeed severe and means to be cut off of ‘normal life & society’.
Typical symptoms of claustrophobia are the fear of being restricted in any area, such as elevators, hallways, crowds, a phone booth or even a closet and the fear of suffocation which could occur in any of said places or under any other condition.
While claustrophobics typically avoid said areas they are not necessarily afraid of being there. The major part of their fear simply exists because of the possibility of getting in a fear inducing situation while being in an elevator or visiting a concert where big crowds tend to push and pull (both the fear of restriction and the fear of suffocation become a more viable way of dealing with the situation – it’s still phobic but understandable in some way).
Overcome your Fear of Enclosed Spaces
As with most anxiety disorders there are generally two different ways to get rid off claustrophobia:
- Cognitive therapy
- In vivo exposure
The cognitive therapy for claustrophobics would, for example, consist of subsequent lessons with some kind of ‘neutral’ teacher. This teacher would claim, for example, elevators being very useful instead of scaring. He would create a list of positive aspects (or rather let you create this list) to make you believe how harmless elevators are.
The ‘in vivo’ exposure has to do less with brains but more with action. A therapist of this school would lock you up in a closet and say: “Deal with it, it’s just a closet”. I’m exaggerating, sorry. This form of therapy is all about confronting your fear – under (medical) supervision that is.
We Recommend Combining Both Therapies
While the cognitive approach seems to be very safe it has flaws: The phobic does not confront his fear under ‘real’ circumstances but only in some kind of think tank where he has nothing to fear at all. We believe that patients who think a lot will perform very well with that type of therapy. That is, because they have no trouble with solving problems on a rather rational level.
But we do also believe that a lot quicker method is the ‘in vivo’ exposure which engages you with every nerve. Our final recommendation is to mix both therapies to achieve the best results!
Learn to Control Claustrophobia – Theoretically
It’s indeed a very good idea to learn all positive aspects of things that scare you. Knowledge lets you take control over things. In your case you want to control your fear – the best first step in the right direction would be a ‘mind game’ or ‘brainstorming’ in which you summarize all your feelings about your fear and the fear inducing situations, places, people, etc.
The next step – still on a theoretical level – would be to close your eyes and visualize a situation which typically makes you react phobic. Remain a few seconds in this state and then open your eyes. Write down your feelings.
This step should be repeated as long as you react phobic while you visualize. Close your eyes again and think about a situation which makes you react phobic and then write down your feelings.
As it is indeed very exhausting to think over things for the 53th time you could easily mix in some relaxing (and passive) lessons about your subject of fear. Get to Google and search for pictures of elevators or enclosed spaces. Watch them carefully – you are safe now.
After some time you will feel relief on a theoretical level and have no problems to close your eyes and think about a previously fear-inducing situation.
This is the point where many people stop to work on their problems because therapists tend to say “Hey, you did great today. I think you are now cured from claustrophobia.” and patients tend to believe it. In many cases the cognitive therapy works – on a cognitive level – and fails when a patient is in a ‘real-life’ situation which makes him react phobic.
Sometimes you just can’t talk away your problems…
Deal with Claustrophobia – Virtually
While you cannot talk away your claustrophobia you can definetely confront it and finally deal with it. The ‘in vivo’ exposure is based on your fear. Wrong. That’s what most people think but it’s just not the case. The ‘in vivo’ exposure therapay is based on your will to get rid off your phobia!
That’s a completely different ball game. After avoiding those situations that make you react phobic (a bad feeling) you finally confront these very situations voluntarily and thereby take control over your phobia (a good feeling).
Getting locked up in a closet is indeed not that bad after all. It could be worse – but not for claustrophobics. Somehow it’s funny because an gatophobic person (who suffers from fear of cats) could feel fine inside the closet and stay for a while (until the evil cat is gone or something like that).
But you – the claustrophobic on the other hand – suffer from the fear of being restricted in an enclosed area like that very closet but could easily pet any cat and make it purr in your arms.
You both suffer from a phobia, or to be more specific: an anxiety disorder, and can’t stand whatever induces your panic attacks. Being phobic is part of your personality but it’s nothing to be proud of.
Back to topic: Get yourself a close friend, communicate your problem and your plan (confronting your phobia with the ‘in vivo’ approach) and get it done.
Your friend is there to hold your hand, the closet will open after you yell the code word and you can even turn the lights on if you are also suffering from nyctophobia, the fear of darkness.
