Claudia is 35 years old and comes to the consultation, according to what she tells us, after having tried “everything” for Overcoming claustrophobiaThis problem has prevented her from leading a normal life for seven years, since she was trapped in the small elevator of the building where her parents live.
What's wrong with Claudia? Does it really interfere so much with her daily life? Join us to find out.
What is claustrophobia?
It belongs to the group of the so-called specific phobias and is therefore an anxiety-related disorder.
People who suffer from claustrophobia have a Intense and uncontrollable fear of closed spacesThis happens because they think they won't be able to escape easily. It doesn't matter if the place is an elevator, a tunnel, an MRI or an airplane, they are guaranteed to have a bad time.
Parallel to this fear appear two others:
- He fear of restrictionthat is, not being able to move.
- He fear of suffocationThat is, to believe that the elevator Claudia is talking about is going to run out of air and, therefore, we are going to suffocate. This is the perfect breeding ground for panic attacks.
What causes claustrophobia?
- Classical conditioning through one or more direct experiences. For example, having been trapped in an elevator before makes you tend to avoid these situations. Avoidance is a factor that makes the problem persist, since it is not faced.
- Vicarious conditioning (by observation). Claudia's father's having claustrophobia may increase her risk of developing this problem as well. By observing her father's behavior, she may begin to associate closed spaces with her father's anxiety and inability to help.
- Transmission of information anxious about dangers. The fact that his mother has been very anxious about the potential dangers of being locked inside acts as a triggering factor.
- Traumatic events during early childhoodBullying, sexual abuse or mistreatment are often linked to phobias. Anything that reminds us of these traumatic experiences can set off alarm bells. Sometimes something as simple as a scene from a movie triggers the anxiety mechanisms. In addition, if the physiological symptoms lead to thoughts like “I'm going to die”, “I'm going to run out of air and suffocate” or “I can't breathe”, the fear becomes more uncontrollable and the phobia appears.
- Some studies claim that the amygdalathe brain structure responsible for the fear response, is smaller in patients with phobias. This produces intense reactions to fearful situations.
What are the symptoms?
- Dyspnea or difficulty breathing.
- Tachycardia.
- Sweating.
- Dizziness.
- Feeling faint.
- Fear of dying, of suffocating, of not being able to move or escape.
- Approach behaviors when exiting: unbuttoning buttons, belts (because they think they will breathe better) or taking off their tie.
What are the risk factors?
They can be of various types:
- Biological vulnerability given by a hypersensitivity of the Autonomic Nervous System
- Psychological vulnerabilityIt is caused by an external locus of control. This causes you to have the sensation, based on your previous experiences, that situations are more uncontrollable and unpredictable than they really are.
- Personality traits such as previous psychological disorders, exposure to stressful situations or overprotection by parents.
- Susceptibility to anxiety. This is the fear of the symptoms of anxiety itself, caused by dysfunctional cognitions about its consequences.
- Anticipatory anxiety.
- Perception of few personal resources with which to deal with this situation.
- Hypervigilance or a tendency to over-monitor potential feared stimuli. For example, being aware of noises, whether someone comes in, or the stairs in a place with few exits, such as a basement.
- Being a womanAlthough it also occurs in men, it is more frequent in women.
Frequently asked questions by patients with claustrophobia
- Can I really die if I stay locked somewhere?
No, Claustrophobia cannot cause death.Nor can any other anxiety disorder.
However, it is understandable that you may think so. The intensity of the physiological symptoms is such that they are often misinterpreted and often lead to thinking “I am going to die”. This can lead to a panic attack which, although it cannot be a direct cause of death, must be treated.
- Are there many people with claustrophobia?
Yes, a lot. Between 6 and 7% of the world's population is diagnosed and treated. However, we should not trivialize this phobia, resign ourselves to it or find it normal.
However, the fact that a high percentage is diagnosed and treated allows us to focus on two aspects: on the one hand, the need for treatment and, on the other hand, the need to destigmatize this and any other psychological pathology.
- Will it interfere much with my daily life?
It depends. Patients with claustrophobia often develop security responsesthat is, strategies to avoid situations that scare them. Claudia, our claustrophobic patient, often climbs the stairs to the attic where her parents live. Always choosing the front of an airplane is also a safety response.
The main problem for Claudia will come when she can no longer get on the plane on foot (due to her age, a meniscus operation or building work) or when she cannot find an easy-to-get-out seat on the plane, but has to travel for unavoidable reasons.
- I think someone I love is exhibiting avoidance behaviors. Can I prevent claustrophobia from developing in this case?
No, there are no preventive measures. We can only give you some recommendations for when you already have claustrophobia.
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What treatments exist?
- Live exhibition to feared situations. The time and duration of exposure must be carefully controlled to avoid panic attacks and start with the least anxiety-provoking places and gradually move to the most anxiety-provoking ones.
- Interoceptive exposure. It seeks to recreate the patient's physical sensations in the situation that causes the phobia, but in a safe and controlled environment, although with the same intention as in vivo exposure techniques. It serves to avoid confronting the patient with such situations.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)effective against this type of phobias.
- Relaxation, breathing and visualization techniques in imagination.
- Pharmacological treatment with medications such as benzodiazepines or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. It should be combined with other treatments.
- Virtual RealityThis is a proven therapeutic option that also has some advantages over other options: exposures are carried out using virtual reality glasses in a controlled environment, which allows us to adjust the exposure and other factors. All of this provides easy access to environments that the patient with claustrophobia fears, without leaving the controlled and safe environment of the consultation.
Guidelines for patients with claustrophobia
- Claustrophobia is a psychological disorder. If it seriously affects the quality of your life or interferes with your activities, consider ask a professional for helpsuch as an online psychologist.
- Overcoming a phobia is a process that takes time. Otherwise, you could have a rebound effect. That's why You have to go step by step and take your time.
- Reward yourself for your efforts and achievements.
- Try to reduce anticipatory anxiety. To do this you must try to be realistic and try not to imagine hypothetical situations that will hardly occur.
- Before entering an enclosed space such as an elevator, take a moment to breathe deeply and try to visualize either what you are going to do or nice images.
- During the first phases of treatment it is advisable to be accompanied by a very trustworthy person.a, in case you have to face some of the feared situations. Then you can gradually decrease the degree of trust of the person you go with, as the treatment progresses.