Written By: Anusuya Suresh | Updated : December 24, 2014 3:24 PM IST
Being in a crowded place can be an unpleasant experience and we would like to get out of it at the earliest. However, we manage to bear with it for a little while and do not generally make elaborate attempts to avoid such situations.
However, there are some people with an irrational fear of situations where they are in a closed, crowded space such as an airplane cabin, a crowded elevator or a small, window-less room. In fact, such a situation causes them to feel such an intense anxiety and even panic that they go to great lengths to avoid it altogether even if it inconveniences them. This condition of an irrational, extreme anxiety and fear in closed spaces is called claustrophobia.
Signs and symptoms of claustrophobia
Claustrophobia is the word derived from Latin where the word phobos means fear and claustrum means a closed-in space. Persons with this condition are not consciously cultivating this behavior; it is something that happens without their volition. The most common symptoms of anxiety are experienced when the sufferer is actually in a confined space or imagines himself to be in such a place. There is a fear of running out of oxygen and not being able to breathe and an acute sense of distress because of being restricted in that place. This anxiety manifests in some of the following signs:
Where do symptoms manifest?
One or more of these situations are likely to trigger the symptoms of claustrophobia:
Causes of claustrophobia
Most people who suffer from claustrophobia speak of a past experience especially in their childhood that led them to feel a sense of danger. Some such experiences include:
The trauma caused by such situations leads to a long-lasting, irrational fear of such situations repeating. Sometimes, people also pick up this fear from a parent or significant member of their family with whom they are in regular contact.
Researchers have found that the panic in persons with claustrophobia may be due to smaller amygdalae (parts of the brain that control the fear response). Other studies have suggested this could be caused due to a defect in a particular gene rather than at the psychological level.
Dealing with claustrophobia
Some of the most ways in which people can deal with claustrophobia include:
Due to its overwhelming nature, claustrophobia can be difficult to overcome on one's own and one needs the support of a qualified counsellor or psychologist or psychiatrist. However, it is equally important to remember that this is not an insurmountable condition it can be overcome in a gradual manner provided one persists with the recommended therapy.
Photo source: Getty images
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