Claustrophobia

Claustrophobia is the fear of confined spaces. It can be triggered by many situations or stimuli, including elevators, especially when crowded to capacity, windowless rooms, and hotel rooms with closed doors and sealed windows. Even bedrooms with a lock on the outside, small cars, and tight-necked clothing can induce a response in those with claustrophobia. It is typically classified as an anxiety disorder, which often results in panic attacks. The onset of claustrophobia has been attributed to many factors, including a reduction in the size of the amygdala, classical conditioning, or a genetic predisposition to fear small spaces. One study indicates that anywhere from five to ten percent 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. The term claustrophobia comes from Latin claustrum "a shut in place" and Greek φόβος, phóbos, "fear". Claustrophobia is classified as an anxiety disorder. Symptoms generally develop during childhood or adolescence. Claustrophobia is typically thought to have one key symptom: fear of suffocation. In at least one, if not several, of the following areas: small rooms, MRI or CAT scan apparatus, cars, buses, airplanes, trains, tunnels, underwater caves, cellars, elevators and caves. Being enclosed or thinking about being enclosed in a confined space can trigger fears of not being able to breathe properly, and running out of oxygen. It is not always the small space that triggers these emotions, but it's more the fear of the possibilities of what could happen while confined to that area. When anxiety levels start to reach a certain level, the person may start to experience: sweating and/or chills accelerated heart rate and a rise in blood pressure dizziness, fainting spells, lightheadedness and frozen in fear dry mouth hyperventilation hot flashes shaking or trembling and a sense of "butterflies" in the stomach nausea headache numbness a choking sensation tightness in the chest/chest pain and difficulty breathing an urge to use the bathroom confusion or disorientation fear of harm or illness The fear of enclosed spaces is an irrational fear.