Claustrophobia is a common anxiety disorder. For some people, however, it can be debilitating, resulting in panic attacks, avoiding certain places or situations that lead to increased anxiety, or social isolation. The good news is that there are proven remedies for reducing anxiety and overcoming the fear behind this disorder.
Medication
Most anxiety disorders, phobias included, can be treated with medication such as beta-blockers, antidepressants and sedatives. Although medications help the sufferer by reducing anxiety symptoms, they are rarely a cure-all. For most people with claustrophobia, psychotherapy is the best method for overcoming the disorder. However, medication may be necessary for alleviating severe anxiety symptoms.
Psychotherapy
Psychologists use various techniques for helping sufferers overcome claustrophobia. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, or CBT, is a comprehensive form of therapy used for treating most anxiety disorders. Specific techniques include desensitization or exposure therapy, which focuses on retraining the patient's fear reaction after repeated uneventful exposures. Other strategies include modeling, in which the patient views another confront the trigger without fear or panic, and relaxation techniques for dealing with phobia-related anxiety.
Virtual Reality Therapy
Virtual reality therapy is a newer technique that works similarly to the traditional psychotherapy methods described above but uses computer technology to recreate a fear-provoking situation in a virtual environment.
The Duke School of Medicine describes VR therapy as a successful alternative to traditional treatment. It allows for greater safety because the therapist can control the environment. In addition, it saves time for the patient, who does not have to go out into the real world to face anxiety-provoking situations but instead encounters them in the safety of the therapist's office. This benefit has proven to shorten the time needed for a full recovery.
