Overcoming Claustrophobia: Conquer Your Fear of Enclosed Spaces

In our everyday lives, we come across enclosed spaces quite often, without paying much attention to them; from stepping into an elevator to sitting in the backseat of a crowded car or being in a small room without a visible exit. However, there are certain individuals who can’t stand being in these same scenarios without having a rush of fear and panic that overwhelms them. Minutes in, their heart begins to race, breathing becomes shallow, and their mind is fixated on escaping the space by whatever means possible. This type of fear is known as claustrophobia.

Claustrophobia affects the day-to-day life of individuals by limiting the kind of activities they engage in and even the places they go. As we proceed in this article, we will be taking an in-depth look at claustrophobia, exploring its symptoms and the best approach to overcoming this fear.

Claustrophobia is a condition that affects a lot of people, and it is described as a persistent or irrational fear of being confined or in an enclosed or crowded space without a clear means of escape. It is classified as a specific type of anxiety disorder. Individuals with claustrophobia react strongly in spaces such as MRI machines, basements, or environments that seem restrictive. What happens in claustrophobia is that the body’s fight or flight response becomes triggered even when there is no real danger. The brain now associates enclosed spaces as dangerous, leading to an overwhelming anxiety or a full-blown panic attack.

A major challenge with this type of specific phobia is that the panic is not driven by the size of the space, but rather by the feeling of loss of control or inability to escape and breathe. Claustrophobia disrupts the daily lives of individuals affected by it, from disrupting their travel and work routine or even limiting the medical procedures they can engage in. The good news with claustrophobia is that it is well known and researched; hence, many effective treatment options have been developed that can help individuals reduce their fear of enclosed spaces significantly.

Irrational fear of confined spaces, also known as claustrophobia, does not occur overnight. For most people with this irrational fear, it could develop from past experiences, as a learned behavior, or even the way the brain responds to fear. In this section, we will explore the different causes and risk factors of claustrophobia.

• Past Traumatic Experiences: This is one of the most common causes of claustrophobia. Past experiences such as being trapped in an elevator, locked in the basement as a child as punishment, or a very distressing medical procedure (MRI) can lead to the development of claustrophobia. It does not matter if the event happened a long time ago; the brain can hold onto this memory and, as such, interpret confined spaces as dangerous.
• Learned Behavior: Claustrophobia can develop in children who grew up around adults who are scared of enclosed or tight spaces. This fear of enclosed spaces is now modeled and learned even without a traumatic event.
• Genetics: Anxiety disorders and phobias often run in families, and individuals with a close family member living with anxiety disorders are at risk of developing claustrophobia.
• Overactive fight or fight response system: There are individuals with a very sensitive fear response system. Their bodies are very quick to release stress hormones when they feel threatened or restricted, which in turn leads to palpitations and increased respiration.
• Anxiety or panic disorders: individuals with previous panic attacks, phobias, or generalized anxiety disorders are more prone to developing claustrophobia. A panic attack in an enclosed space might send signals to the brain that enclosed spaces are associated with danger.

Claustrophobia can be triggered by situations where the individual feels trapped, enclosed, or unable to escape freely. There are several situations or places that trigger claustrophobia, and it is very important to identify them in order to manage this condition effectively. Let’s take a closer look at the different scenarios that can trigger claustrophobia.

• Elevators and lifts: Elevators and lifts are very common triggers of claustrophobia. The closed doors, small space, and lack of control in an elevator contribute to this, and it gets worse when there are delays or unexpected stops.
• Small rooms with no visible exits: Small offices, bathrooms, storage rooms, or rooms without windows are triggers of claustrophobia as they give a sense of being trapped.
• Crowded spaces or public transport: The idea of being in a crowded space with little or no room to move around may feel suffocating for individuals with claustrophobia. It gives off a sense of being boxed, and this, in turn, increases the fear and anxiety.
• Medical machines and procedures: The hospital environment often triggers claustrophobia. An MRI machine is a common trigger in the hospital environment. Other scenarios that can trigger claustrophobia include: being strapped to a stretcher, wearing head restraints, or wearing oxygen masks. The physical restriction and hospital sounds heighten the fear and anxiety.
• Tight clothing: clothing such as turtlenecks, tight collars, or even full-face masks can feel restrictive and trigger claustrophobia.
• Traveling by air: The airplane combines the different triggers of claustrophobia, such as the small space, closed door, and inability to escape. This makes it very challenging for individuals with claustrophobia to travel by air.
• Tunnels, caves, and underground areas: Underground parking spaces, subways, and basements are places where individuals with claustrophobia avoid, as they trigger panic and anxiety in them.
• Locked doors: The main reason why locked doors are triggers of claustrophobia is because of the enclosed environment they create and the lack of visibility of means of escape.

Claustrophobia is a condition that doesn't occur in isolation; it often co-exists with other mental health conditions with similar triggers, symptoms, and mechanisms. It is therefore essential to study this relationship in order to help individuals identify patterns in their anxiety and also determine the best treatment approach.

Claustrophobia affects both the mind and body of individuals living with it. The symptoms vary in intensity, and this helps us to determine how severe the phobia is. A very important step to overcoming this phobia and regaining control is to understand and recognize the symptoms of claustrophobia.

Let’s take a closer look at both the physical and emotional symptoms of claustrophobia.

Emotional symptoms of claustrophobia

Claustrophobia affects how a person feels and responds whenever they find themselves in enclosed or confined spaces. Usually, emotional symptoms appear before physical symptoms do and may last long after they leave the trigger. These symptoms include.

• Fear of losing control
• Urgent need to escape
• Fear of being trapped
• Intense fear or panic: this can be described as a sudden or overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety.
• Catastrophic thoughts: this is imagining the worst possible scenario, like being suffocated or stuck forever.

Physical symptoms of claustrophobia

Physical symptoms of claustrophobia are seen as the body’s fight or flight response to dangerous situations, and in this case, confined spaces. The body reacts as though it is in danger, even when there is no life-threatening situation. These symptoms include: palpitation, shaking or trembling, shortness of breath, chest tightness, sweating, dizziness, numbness, and stomach discomfort.

Claustrophobia is capable of affecting an individual's job, travel, medical care, social life, and overall emotional wellbeing.

The effect of claustrophobia goes far beyond what happens in that moment of fear and anxiety; rather, it influences daily decisions and limits day-to-day activities. Individuals with claustrophobia will avoid activities that require them to enter crowded buses or confined spaces and will even turn down jobs where they have to enter an elevator to access the venue.

Let's take a closer look at how much claustrophobia impacts the day-to-day life of those affected by it.

Claustrophobia often begins with mild discomfort in enclosed spaces that people may ignore at first. It is therefore very important to recognize the early warning signs of claustrophobia in order to prevent the fear from growing stronger and to ultimately overcome it. Some of the early warning signs of claustrophobia include;

• Discomfort in small spaces: At the early stage of claustrophobia, it can be as subtle as feeling uneasy inside elevators or crowded cars. No panic attack at this stage.
• Increased awareness of exits: In the early stage of claustrophobia, individuals might unconsciously look through any room or enclosed space they enter for exits or escape routes without any danger in sight.
• Increased sensitivity to tightness: Claustrophobia in its early stages can also present as discomfort when a space feels tight, seatbelts are tight, or clothes feel tight around the neck. The mind starts to associate tightness with danger.
• Physical symptoms: In the early stage of claustrophobia, mild physical symptoms such as feeling slightly breathless, restlessness, or being tense in enclosed areas.
• Anticipatory anxiety: Another early symptom of claustrophobia is worrying ahead of time about being in an enclosed space. This can be before a flight or before entering an elevator.

Different confined environments trigger a wide range of emotional and physical responses. Some enclosed environments can trigger mild discomfort, while some may trigger a full-blown panic attack. The different reactions can also be a result of the person’s previous experience or how small the enclosed space is. Let's take a look at some very common enclosed spaces and the different reactions they trigger.

• Elevators and Lifts: As soon as the doors of elevators close, individuals with claustrophobia might feel a sudden rush of panic. They could also feel trapped or helpless as the elevator begins to move. There is also the fear and worry of the elevator stopping unexpectedly, with increasing heartbeats and an urge to get out.
• Crowded Public Transport: Individuals with claustrophobia may feel boxed in by other people when in crowded public transport. In severe cases, they may feel out of breath with their anxiety level increasing during traffic or long stops.
• Airplanes: Traveling by air triggers fear and panic in individuals with claustrophobia. Tension starts building up when they are boarding, and panic sets in when the seatbelt sign comes on. The locked doors and inability to leave the cabin also make it more challenging.
• Medical equipment: The thought of lying still in the narrow tube of medical equipment, like MRI and CT machines, triggers fear and anxiety in individuals with claustrophobia. They often feel suffocated and trapped, and the noise coming from those machines also adds to the rising panic. In severe cases, they stop the procedures, postpone them, or refuse them altogether.
• Small rooms without windows: Individuals with claustrophobia, when they find themselves in small and enclosed rooms without windows, feel a false sensation of the walls closing in on them. They also feel restless and have a hard time concentrating on what is going on inside the room. Instead, they are fixated on how to open the door and escape.
• Underground tunnels: underground tunnels feel unsafe for individuals with claustrophobia because of the darkness and limited visibility in this enclosed space. The person becomes scared of getting lost, rapid breathing sets in, and there is an urge to leave the place.
• Tight clothing or restrictive gear: Individuals with claustrophobia suddenly feel anxious when their collars or masks become too tight. They also have this sensation of not getting enough air with an urgent need to take it off. The main trigger here is the fear of feeling physically restricted.

Claustrophobia, like any other specific phobia, can be managed and overcome with the right treatment approach. The treatment of this irrational fear of enclosed spaces is usually a combination of professional therapy, gradual exposure, and self-coping strategies.

The fear of claustrophobia is deeply rooted in the alarm system of the brain; what therapy does is to retrain the brain, break the cycle of panic, and help the person regain control in confined spaces. In this section, we will explore the major treatment approaches to claustrophobia.

The bedrock of long-term recovery from claustrophobia is professional treatment. A mental health professional helps the individual understand the condition better, know its cause, identify their triggers, unlearn patterns of panic, regain control, and build confidence in difficult situations. A mental health professional also helps to track your progress and adjust the therapy as needed.

A major indicator of the need for professional treatment is when self-strategies such as mindfulness and breathing exercises stop producing the desired effect. A mental health professional is needed at this point to bring structured treatment plans and much more sustainable coping strategies.

In addition to this, an increasing anxiety level with worsening physical symptoms of panic attacks is a sign that professional treatment is needed. Also, when claustrophobia begins to impact the daily lives of an individual negatively, from refusing employment opportunities to avoiding social gatherings out of fear of elevators, crowded and enclosed spaces, professional treatment is required.

It is very important to know that when there are other underlying mental health conditions, such as PTSD, depression, generalized anxiety, and the fear has lasted for more than six months, there is a need to seek professional treatment.

There are several therapeutic approaches in the treatment of claustrophobia, also known as the irrational fear of enclosed or confined spaces. The choice of treatments is usually based on individual differences such as the severity of the fear, the presence or absence of underlying trauma, and even individual personality. In this section, we will explore the two major types of therapy in the treatment of claustrophobia.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a very effective and commonly used therapeutic approach in the treatment of claustrophobia. CBT works primarily by helping people understand how their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors contribute to their fear and anxiety and teaches practical steps to break the cycle of panic.

It helps to retrain the human brain and replace catastrophic thoughts with rational and factual ones. The idea here is that challenging and changing irrational thoughts will automatically change how they feel, which will ultimately influence their actions. In addition to this, cognitive behavioral therapy also teaches coping strategies that help individuals deal with anxiety and panic attacks when they find themselves in confined and enclosed spaces.

Below is a step-by-step process of using cognitive behavior therapy in the treatment of claustrophobia.

• Psychotherapy: this is the first step, and it involves educating individuals with claustrophobia about the phobia, helping them understand their behavioral patterns, and identifying irrational thoughts and triggers. CBT helps the individual identify catastrophic thoughts that arise in confined spaces, such as ‘something bad is going to happen’, ‘there’s no way out’, ‘I can’t breathe’, etc. The professional guides them to write these thoughts down and makes them see how it is fueling their fear and anxiety.
• Cognitive Retraining: This next step involves challenging negative thoughts that have been identified and replacing them with more accurate and balanced thoughts. Irrational or negative thoughts are usually the source of anxiety and panic. Once these thoughts are replaced, there is a reduction in the level of fear and anxiety. Thoughts like I can’t breathe are replaced with I can breathe, This feeling is unpleasant but not dangerous.
• Gradual exposure: this step is very important in CBT, especially in the treatment of claustrophobia. It involves a gradual, gentle, and controlled exposure to confined spaces. This exposure could be as subtle as viewing pictures of confined spaces or imagining being in a confined space. Another example of gradual exposure to confined spaces is sitting in a small room for a short period of time or taking short elevator rides. The ultimate goal of gradual exposure in CBT is to desensitize individuals with claustrophobia to the fearful stimuli and break the cycle of avoidance.
• Coping and Relaxation techniques training: this step is very crucial in the management of symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks when individuals with claustrophobia are exposed to confined spaces. These practical tools include: deep breathing exercises, mindfulness practices, grounding exercises, and progressive muscle relaxation. These techniques help to promote a sense of calm during anxiety and also reduce the severity of panic attacks.

Exposure therapy is also referred to as systematic desensitization, one of the most effective treatments for claustrophobia. It helps the brain to relearn that enclosed spaces, though uncomfortable, are not dangerous by gradually exposing them to it in a safe environment. This treatment method is hinged on a core principle that avoiding feared stimuli (in this case confined spaces) will only strengthen the fear and make it more overwhelming. Repeated exposure, on the other hand, breaks the cycle of fear and helps you regain control.

How does exposure therapy work?

• Rank The Fear: the first step to take in exposure therapy is to create a list of feared situations and arrange them from the least fearful to the most fearful. This step helps to create a structure for the expression therapy and also helps to avoid overwhelming the patient.
• Step-by-step exposure: this next step involves exposing them to the feared situations, starting with the least fearful to the most fearful. It is very important to allow an individual to stay in a particular step till they become comfortable and overcome the fear and anxiety at that level. By doing so, the brain learns that fear and panic are not the same as danger.
• Supportive and Controlled Environment: Exposure therapy works well with guidance and coping strategies. Some exposure sessions might involve the use of pictures or videos, while some utilize your imagination (imaginal exposure), real-life practice (in vivo exposure), or virtual reality simulations for elevators or MRI machines. This slow progression makes it easy for individuals to face their fears without feeling unsafe.
• Retraining the response: repeated exposure to confined spaces makes individuals with claustrophobia form new thought ideas, such as nothing bad will happen, or this space is not dangerous. New memories from the exposure therapy now replace the old ones, thereby reducing anxiety. New memories from exposure therapy now replace the old ones, thereby reducing the frequency and intensity of symptoms of anxiety.

Overcoming claustrophobia is a gradual process, and the duration of treatment varies from person to person depending on factors such as the length of time the person has had the condition, the severity of the fear, and how consistent the person is with the treatment plan. While the recovery journey is different from person to person, most people observe improvements within a short period of time, especially with structured therapy.

Most treatment plans for claustrophobia are typically short to medium term, lasting about 6 to 10 weeks for mild to moderate cases and 12 to 20 weeks for more severe ones. It’s important to note that some people progress faster than others because they consistently practice the techniques taught in therapy sessions outside their scheduled sessions. Small steps practiced often lead to faster and more lasting results.

In the early stage of treatment, expected outcomes would include: a better understanding of triggers and symptoms, reduced feelings of panic in enclosed spaces, and better control of physical symptoms of anxiety.

Midway into the treatment plan, it is expected that they feel calmer and in control, reduce catastrophic thoughts, and improve confidence in facing feared situations. In the long run, it is expected that the client is more comfortable using elevators, bathrooms, cars, or small ones. The client is also expected in the long term to be able to travel or undergo medical procedures without fear of panic. It is very important to note that with therapy, some people reach a point where claustrophobia has little or no impact on their daily decisions.

Choosing the right mental health professional is not one that should be left to chance, as it influences not only how effective your therapy is but also how comfortable your sessions are. A mental health professional sets the tone of the treatment plan, curates a suitable plan for you, and also ensures you are carried along every step of the way. In this article, we will go through all there is to know about picking the right mental professional.

Tips to Consider When Choosing a Mental Health Professional

Seeking professional and structured therapy is a great way to manage claustrophobia. There are, however, certain self-help and coping techniques that have proven very useful in the management of symptoms of claustrophobia. The great thing about these techniques is the fact that they are self-directed and do not need the help of a professional before carrying them out. This implies that you can incorporate this into your daily life and regain control over your feelings and fear. Let’s take a look at self-help and coping approaches in the treatment of claustrophobia.

Breathing and relaxation techniques are very powerful tools in managing claustrophobia. How they help is by calming the fight or flight response system and preventing the anxiety level from increasing. Examples of effective breathing and relaxation techniques;

Mindfulness is a very powerful, effective, and widely used tool in the treatment of claustrophobia. Claustrophobia is a condition where the fight or flight response system of the body is triggered, resulting in increased heart rate and panic attacks. Mindfulness, however, helps to counter this reaction by calming the body’s stress response, grounding the individual, and helping them stay in the present moment.

Mindfulness allows individuals to be more aware of their thoughts and sensations without being controlled by them. It helps individuals respond more calmly to enclosed spaces, increases tolerance during exposure exercises, and ultimately reduces avoidance behavior. An example of mindfulness practice is body scanning, and this is a very important mindfulness practice.

Body scanning can be carried out in both sitting and standing positions. After deciding on a comfortable position, look through your body slowly, you can start from your toes all the way to your entire body. All you are doing in body scanning is to observe the body and breath. This helps us to be more aware of our body, releases built-up tension, and makes our body more relaxed.

Another great way to practice mindfulness, especially for individuals with claustrophobia whenever they find themselves in an enclosed space, is mindful counting. Take, for instance, in an aircraft, once the door closes, individuals with claustrophobia begin to feel anxious, and their heart rate increases; mindful counting is a way to break the cycle of panic. Here’s how to go about it: inhale and count slowly to 4. After which you exhale and count slowly to 6. This should be done ten times in order to truly calm the body and interrupt thoughts of worry and anxiety.

It is very important to note that mindfulness does not remove fear overnight; it happens after you have practiced consistently and learned to stay calm and regain control.

This is a very simple yet powerful tool that has the ability to take the focus of individuals with claustrophobia from fear to a sense of safety and space. Visualization works by allowing you to create calming, open, and controlled environments mentally. This, in turn, helps the brain associate confined spaces with less danger and fear. Here are some examples of visualization exercises;

• The ‘open space’ scene: This is a mental picture of yourself in a wide and quiet environment. It could be a beach, a mountain top, or an open field. Try to picture the horizon, hear the breeze, and feel the ground under you. This feeling automatically replaces the sense of being trapped with the feeling of expansion and freedom.
• Slow motion breath visualization: This visualization method works by breathing in slowly and imagining a large open chamber within you, filled with fresh air each time. And every time you exhale, you are releasing pressure, fear, and suffocation. This particularly helps individuals who report feelings of suffocation in tight or enclosed spaces.
• The Safe room technique: The safe room technique is where you picture a room that feels completely secure. Visualize soft lightning in the room with open windows and comfortable surroundings. Anytime you find yourself in an enclosed room, and fear and anxiety rise, return to this image.
• Exit path visualization: This is when you visualize a clear and accessible exit route every time you find yourself in an enclosed space. Even if there’s no plan on using this exit route, having a mental picture helps to restore a feeling of control, thereby reducing fear and panic.

Claustrophobia is a condition that should not be faced alone. Having a system of support makes it easier to seek help, stay consistent with the treatment plan, and even makes it easier for people around you to understand you. Strong support networks are essential to the healing and recovery of individuals with an irrational fear of enclosed spaces. They serve as a source of encouragement and reduce feelings of isolation. Not only that, but support systems help to monitor progress and celebrate wins.

Virtual Reality (VR) is one of the leading and effective tools applied in the treatment of claustrophobia by mental health professionals. It allows graded realistic exposure to feared situations in a therapists controlled, safe, and realistic environment. Virtual reality works by mimicking real-life enclosed spaces and allows gradual exposure without actual physical risks. This is a great way of retraining the brain to respond better to fear.

Virtual Reality combines psychology with technology to make exposure therapy less fearful and more accessible. It immerses the patient in a realistic environment that can trigger their irrational fear of confined spaces in a controllable manner. The intensity of the trigger can be adjusted based on what the patient can handle.

With the use of VR technology, patients are placed virtually in elevators, MRI machines, crowded buses, airplane cabins, and even in small rooms in order to expose them to their triggers. Next, the intensity of the triggers is decreased or increased based on the required level. For instance, the room size can be made smaller, the lighting in underground tunnels can be dimmed, and even the size of the crowd can be increased.

VR technology makes monitoring the response of individuals to the triggers very easy and helps mental health professionals determine if clients are making progress or not. It also allows repeated practice till the stress level reduces without actually being in an enclosed space. Because of the immersive nature of Virtual Reality, it makes it easy for individuals to apply their confidence to real-world situations.

Virtual Reality (VR) therapy offers a wide range of benefits that traditional exposure therapy cannot provide. Below are some of the advantages of VR therapy;

• Safe and Controlled Environment: Virtual Reality therapy allows mental health providers to expose clients with claustrophobia in enclosed spaces without physical risks. Triggers can be controlled via Dashboard, gradually moving the client within the hierarchy of fear, e.g. large empty elevator → medium size elevator with a few passengers → small elevator → small crowded elevator with malfunction stop during a ride. Such factors can be controlled via provider’s Dashboard, outperforming imaginal exposure and in-vivo therapy.
• It is repeatable: VR allows the same trigger to be repeated as many times as possible until the level of anxiety decreases and the person is comfortable with the trigger.
• It is flexible, as every situation or scenario can be adjusted to match an individual’s preference.
• Patients make progress with VR faster as it makes exposures that are hard to recreate in real life possible.
• Virtual Reality also makes the analysis of patients' reactions possible and consequently helps professionals design treatments appropriately.

PsyTechVR is a virtual reality platform that delivers the same principles of exposure therapy in a fully therapist-controlled, immersive, and more comfortable experience for individuals struggling with claustrophobia. With the aid of a VR headset, this platform gradually brings individuals into therapist-designed virtual environments that mirror their triggers. Everything about these environments, including the choice and size of space, lighting, level of confinement, and duration, is adjustable by the therapist, even during the sessions.

What makes PsyTechVR especially effective is how it efficiently combines evidence-based therapeutic principles with modern technology. All the scenarios available on the platform are designed to gradually help retrain the brain’s fear response by offering a controlled grounding, mindfulness, and emotional regulation while inside the virtual environment. Over time, the brain begins to reinterpret the enclosed spaces as less threatening and grows more confident while in them.

PsyTechVR is offering a unique platform feature for mental health professionals — AI exposure creation. This technology allows providers to generate tailored virtual exposure environments aligned with any client’s claustrophobic case. The AI was designed as a very therapist-friendly user experience, requesting mental health providers enter textual prompts (e.g “a small storage room with the lights dimmed”), creating environments within 30 seconds, while no code and technical skills are required to create VR phobic environment , and build graded exposure library.

PsyTechVR is also designed to work seamlessly for both therapists and individuals. Whether it is used in a clinic or as part of a VR tele-health program at home, the therapist-controlled platform provides graded fear environments, real-time trigger adjustment, and engaging exercises that keep users consistent and engaged throughout their treatment process.

Overall, PsyTechVR helps to provide a gentle, effective, and engaging pathway for overcoming claustrophobia by delivering a steady kind of exposure that builds confidence without overwhelming the mind or body.