A phobia is an intense fear of an object or situation that actually poses minimal danger. Due to the extreme fear that a person experiences, it is often difficult for them to see past their fear and daily activities and social functioning can be affected. One such phobia, claustrophobia, is the extreme fear of enclosed or restricted spaces. Claustrophobia affects people in different ways; however, there are some common symptoms.
Anxiety-related Symptoms
Anxiety is the hallmark symptom of claustrophobia. The affected person can experience anxiety when triggered by certain situations or by just thinking about it. Some people have a highly sensitive triggering point. The anxiety related to claustrophobia may cause the sufferer to go great lengths to avoid any contact with the provoking situation.
Physical Symptoms
As a result of anxiety, many people experience sweating, an increased heart beart or heart palpitations, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. As anxiety progresses, your symptoms can progress causing trembling or nausea. Severe physical symptoms from claustrophobia may include chest pain, vomiting (resulting from extreme nausea), a feeling of choking or a series of hot and cold flashes.
Cognitive Symptoms
For some, thoughts or feelings about anxiety are so strong that these they fuel real-life anxiety and associated symptoms. It is common for claustrophobia sufferers to have a fear of fainting, losing control or even dying. These thoughts can cause the person to be irritable with an inability to concentrate or believe any rationale behind their fear. Many patients feel hopeless or powerless to control their claustrophobia.
