CLAUSTROPHOBIA

The fear of having no escape.

hISTORY

• Benjamin Ball introduced the term "claustrophobia" into the field in 1879.
• 1902 Albert Pitres and Emmanuel Regis classified claustrophobia as a fear of places.
• Sigmund Freud-researcher, believed claustrophobia is one of the phobias of locomotion( movement of an object from point A to B).

CAUSES

• Results from childhood experiences associated with small space and feeling of panic.
• Examples-falling into a deep pool, crowded area, separation from parent(s) or a group of people. Isolation, crawling into a hole,getting lost, child being locked in a closet.
• This causes the human mind to associate danger with the act of confinement.
• In many cases of claustrophobia it has been the result of a series of past experiences.

Untitled Slide

• Claustrophobia may not be something that can be prevented because sometimes things happen in life tend to dictate the development of this fear. Being bullied, being trapped, or being lost can all contribute to this fear. Situations that are often outside of a person’s control.

Untitled Slide

• The actual cause of claustrophobia is not known and it tends to run in families. Claustrophobia generally develops in early childhood and peaks in the 2nd-3rd decade of life. In some lucky individuals, the condition can spontaneously disappear. However, when claustrophobia persists, treatment is necessary because symptoms can affect work and life style.(empowHEr)

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

• Key symptoms: fear of restriction and fear of suffocation
• Visible physical reactions-suffers from fear of small spaces by sweating,shaking,trembling and slight nausea.
• Inward physical reactions- afraid of small spaces but it's not noticeable. Butterfly in the stomach feeling and dry mouth.
• Psychological reactions-claustrophobia to the extreme, starts feeling dread,panic and Terror. Patients feel this way because of the space they are in is slowly closing in on them.
• Environment-airplanes,cars,train,elevators, bathrooms, tunnels, locked rooms,etc.

Diagnosis

• Classified as an anxiety disorder results in panic attack.
• Connected to traumatic childhood experience can also come from any point in a individual life. It can happen once or multiple times to make a permanent impression on the mind.

Untitled Slide

• Claustrophobia is usually characterized as a fear of dark, closed spaces, but this phobia can occur whenever the person feels like they are trapped without a way out. This phobia is usually classified as an anxiety disorder because of the symptoms of a panic that occur and there can be several factors involved in the triggering of an attack.

TREATMENT

• Cognitive therapy is form of treatment that is accepted for most anxiety disorders. Since the patient doesn't fear the object or situation but rather fears what could become/result.
• The goal for Cognitive therapy is modify distorted thoughts as misconceptions about whatever is being feared
• In vevo exposure, forces patients to face their fears by complete exposure.
• Some people choose to recognize and avoid triggers on their own and then cope by themselves.

RISK FACTORS

• Data shows that 2/5 percent of individuals are affected by claustrophobia, and females are more prone to the disorder than men. Unfortunately the majority of people who suffer from claustrophobia rarely seek help because they are unaware that treatments exist. Most individuals cope by avoiding enclosed spaces and living a severely restricted life style.(empowHEr)

Untitled Slide

• Claustrophobia tends to be more common in individuals who have a history of anxiety when placed in an enclosed room or restricted space. Individuals who regularly avoid situations that have brought on previous attacks may actually have a higher chance of developing an anxiety attack.

SUPPORT

• In vevo methods as spoken before and interoceptive exposure, a method to recreate physical sensations within a patient in a controlled environment
• With treatment, 9 out of 10 people with claustrophobia can improve their life and not be affected by their fears, encouraging people with this fear to find help can improve their life.

MOVIE MENTIONS

• Movies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I158hz-HJHQ
• Real life :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5u4BK0Pm50

THANK YOU

SOURCES

• http://healthresearchfunding.org/22-fascinating-claustrophobia-statistics/
• http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3435301172.html
• http://www.empowher.com/claustrophobia/content/claustrophobia-fear-enclosed...
• http://psychologydictionary.org/search2/?cx=015988447213099021475%3A3wb9jf8...
• The Legend of St.Brendan: A Comparative Study of the Latin and Anglo-Norman Versions (p90).
• Claustrophobia: finding your way out