Claustrophobia is a specific form of anxiety disorder characterized by irrational fear of confined or enclosed spaces. A person with claustrophobia may panic when in an elevator or automobile, having extreme emotional and physical reactions. These may include intense fear, heart palpitations, chest pains, breathlessness, muscle tenseness, sweating, faint headedness and choking sensations. The most common remedies include a combination of mental health counseling and managing triggering situations. Medications may also be used to control the panic and other physical symptoms.
Background
Claustrophobia is a type of anxiety disorder where a person has an intense, irrational fear of enclosed spaces although there is little or no actual danger. Adults with claustrophobia may understand their phobia is irrational but may go to great lengths to avoid triggering situations. If such situations are easy to avoid, you may never seek therapy. For example, you might only go on driving vacations if you fear being trapped in an airplane. However, if the avoidance interferes with your career or personal life, claustrophobia may become disabling.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, or NIMH, specific phobias such as claustrophobia respond very well to carefully targeted psychotherapy.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Mental health counseling helps identify the causes of the claustrophobia and develop methods to deal with its symptoms.
According to the NIMH, cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is an effective remedy. The cognitive part works to instill rational thoughts about a situation, such as flying, and the behavioral part works to modulate the emotional and physical anxiety responses.
Exposure-based CBT is often done using systematic exposures to the triggering situation to desensitize a person. For example, in visualization and relaxation techniques, a person rehearses relaxing while visualizing being in an airplane or the back seat of a car. Some therapists utilize virtual reality techniques to generate a range of anxiety-provoking situations. Through repetition, a patient's physical and emotional responses to claustrophobic situations are diminished. After visualizing the fearful situations, CBT often includes trial runs where a therapist may take the patient on an elevator or plane ride.
According to the NIMH, CBT often takes about 12 weeks.
Medication
Medications are often used to help relax a person and minimize the physical responses. Most common are antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications and beta-blockers to control some of the physical symptoms; these medications might be given to someone who has to fly across the country or have an MRI. Medications do not cure claustrophobia but can be helpful when paired with counseling.
Other Remedies
In hypnotherapy, a person is put into a trance and the therapist suggests a different response to the triggering situation. Hypnotherapy has been found effective in certain types of phobias, such as fear of dentists, but no clinical trials have been conducted to determine its effectiveness in claustrophobia.
According to the NIMH, support groups, meditation and aerobic exercise may all aid in making traditional remedies more effective.
Insurance
Coverage for mental health varies. Most group insurance plans cover treatment for anxiety disorders, which would include treatment for claustrophobia. However, health plans may vary on whether a referral is needed, what mental professionals are covered, what types of treatment are covered as well as whether there are limits on the number of mental health visits per year. Individual policies may not cover mental health at all.
References
- National Institute of Mental Health: Specific Phobias.
- NYU Langone Medical Center: Claustrophobia.
- "AllPsych Journal": Phobias: Causes and Treatments
- "Virtual Reality Therapy for Anxiety Disorders: Advances in Evaluation and Treatment"; Brenda K. Wiederhold, Ph.D. and Mark D. Wiederhold, M.D., Ph.D.: American Psychological Association; 2004
