Claustrophobia is anxiety which occurs in confined areas. There is often an element of feeling trapped, without having a way to get out. If you have claustrophobia it can drastically impact your daily life. Striking anyone at any time, it comes in various forms and degrees of severity. Many people are not comfortable in enclosed or very small areas. Others occasionally feel panicky in a crowded shopping centre. But for a few, it’s a permanent thing, and even thinking about such a situation can bring on strong feelings of panic and anxiety.
What is claustrophobia?
Claustrophobia is a very common fear and at its most extreme it can make life very awkward. It may cause you to steer clear of queues, flying, cars or lifts. Some people struggle to be hugged, or wear close-fitting clothing.
While some people are aware of their dislike of enclosed spaces, for others, claustrophobia strikes unexpectedly. Then, the next time you find yourself in a similar situation, the memory of the first time can make it happen again. If you think that a certain situation will bring about a phobic reaction, you simply don’t go there. And this can lead to your life becoming more and more restricted.
These restrictions become deeply ingrained habitual behaviours. Logically, you know there is no real danger, so you might try to ignore your fears. But when what we know and what we feel is different, what we feel tends to win out.
Getting over claustrophobia
I offer a variety of approaches that can help you, either in person or online.
NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) and hypnotherapy combined can provide an effective treatment for a wide range of fears and phobias, including claustrophobia. Hypnotherapy works with emotions and NLP focuses on behaviour and thinking.
I also often include some EMDR (BLAST technique). This was originally used with trauma but can also help desensitise you to experiences that trigger off a phobia.
Therapy is rarely an instant fix, as it is usually more of a process than an event. But often a few sessions can help make you free to live your life again.
Do contact me for more information if you want my help.
Author: Debbie Waller is a professional therapist, specialising in stress, anxiety and related issues, including gut-directed hypnotherapy to help with the symptoms of IBS. She also offers EMDR/Blast which is used for trauma, PTSD, phobias and OCD. For more information on any of these services, phone 01977 678593.
Researcher: Rae Waller is an experienced researcher and writer with a special interest in mental health issues. Rae offers drafting, fact-checking, proofreading, and editing for anything from a leaflet to a website, a blog or a book, and can also provide diversity reading, especially for LGBTQ+ and autism-related issues. Please contact rae@debbiewaller.com for further information.
