Fear Of Small Spaces Phobia - Feeling Trapped By Claustrophobia
If you experience claustrophobia whenever you're occupying enclosed areas, you know the intense fear that can engulf your mind. You avoid elevators and other small spaces. When entering a room, you immediately identify the exits. If possible, you stay near them to help ensure a quick escape. Often, sitting or standing near the exits can help you breathe more easily. This fear of being confined within areas that lack an accessible exit route can be minor or severe. Below, we'll discuss the causes of claustrophobia, the symptoms and how the fear is treated.
Causes
Many people who suffer from this condition report that their anxiety began to manifest after an event experienced as a child. Often, they were trapped in a small room such as a closet, basement, elevator. Their inability to escape led to an emotional response to the event. If the event is traumatizing, the brain can learn to respond to similar events with the same emotional reactions. At times, the irrational fear of being confined in small areas without an exit can be learned as an adult. The same trauma and emotional reaction is typically the trigger.
Symptoms & Diagnosis A claustrophobic person is often tense when approaching closed areas. Upon entering a room, they immediately take note of the exit points. If left in a room with no available escape, they can begin profuse sweating as their heart rate quickens. Prolonged exposure to these circumstances often results in trembling and nausea as a gradual feeling of terror overwhelms them. At times, people who endure this fear avoid elevators or driving on heavily-trafficked roads. Treatment Several methods of treating this phobia exist including relaxation strategies, homeopathic alternatives, medication and desensitization or related therapy. The phobia is directly linked to the emotional response to an event. This is the reason why relaxation techniques and psychotherapy are often used together. Therapists help people deal with the original emotions, gradually expose them to circumstances that would normally trigger a reaction and focus on deep breathing and muscle relaxation. This combination has been successful with many people. Living Free Of Claustrophobia Dealing with this phobia can have a major impact on a person's ability to live a fulfilling life. If the fear is extreme, it can cause a person to avoid social situations that can affect their relationships with other people. While it's not easily resolved, treatment has proven to be effective in millions of cases. In the end, consistent therapy combined with desensitization and relaxation strategies can help most people who deal with this fear manage their anxiety and live natural lives. In most cases, gradual steps toward resolution have the most effective, long-lasting results.
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