Fear is something that everyone goes through at some point in their lives. A phobia, on the other hand, is an unreasonable and excessive fear response that gets frequently accompanied by a deep sensation of dread and panic. A phobia’s reaction is out of proportion to the situation, leading to excessive worry.
Although most persons suffer from phobias, their emotions are excessive. That knowledge does not change their feelings.
Cleithrophobia is a moderately widespread but frequently neglected phobia, according to a recent survey. About 2.2 percent of persons in the United States are affected by the disease. The fear gets based on the dread of being imprisoned and unable to flee. Phobias can be crippling, hurting people’s lives in ways.
Someone who has cleithrophobia may experience extreme anxiety and the physical and psychological symptoms that come with it. The encounters can sometimes be humiliating and leave one feeling powerless.
The good news is that cleithrophobia can get managed with assistance and treatment. This page discusses the condition’s symptoms, causes, treatment choices, and why it’s crucial to read internet counseling reviews.
Defining the Concept: What Is Cleithrophobia
Even if the event or object does not come frequently in one’s life, living with a phobia can be one of the most things for anyone. You may still find yourself wasting time worrying about the feared object appearing and devising strategies to prevent any encounter.
Let’s start with a brief definition of cleithrophobia. Cleithrophobia is the unreasonable dread of being confined or shut-in. It has a lot of parallels to claustrophobia, which has led to a lot of confusion.
Unlike claustrophobia, which is the fear of being imprisoned or locked in a tiny enclosed space, cleithrophobia is the dread of being trapped or locked in an enclosed space. It’s also related to merinthophobia, a fear of being tethered or bound. The fear of being restrained is unreasonable.
Differentiating Between Cleithrophobia and Claustrophobia
Phobia’s consequences might range from bothersome to severely debilitating. Even when people are aware that their fears are illogical, they often do not change their behavior. Phobias can hurt one’s quality of life. There are numerous phobias, and statistics reveal that more than 19 million people in the United States suffer from them.
Cleithrophobia is sometimes confused with claustrophobia due to their similar traits. The irrational fear of being in confined areas is known as claustrophobia. Anxiety or panic attacks can get triggered by an unreasonable dread of tiny spaces. You can also feel as if you’re losing your grip on things.
Cleithrophobia, on the other side, is the unreasonable fear of being locked or trapped. While it may appear similar to claustrophobia, they are not the same. Claustrophobics are afraid of enclosed areas, whereas cleithrophobics are afraid of being trapped.
When it comes to cleithrophobia, the size or type of the area makes no difference. The phobia gets based on a dread of being trapped or unable to go whenever one wishes. As a result, a person with cleithrophobia may be alright in a tiny place like a lift as long as there is an exit.
While the two phobias have substantial variations, each can cause anticipatory anxiety. That means that the person affected begins to feel anxious before the event occurs. Recognize that cleithrophobia and claustrophobia can occur at the same time. As a result, seeking assistance from a qualified mental health expert is critical, particularly when diagnosis.
What Are the Symptoms and Causes of Cleithrophobia?
Cleithrophobia has symptoms that are very similar to other particular phobias. When people who suffer from this fear feel trapped, they often experience terror. Physical indications, such as an elevated heart rate and nausea, may accompany a panic-like reaction.
Sweat, shortness of breath, and dizziness are other physical symptoms. Some people avoid situations at home or work where they might get trapped because they are afraid of being trapped.
Although phobias can develop without warning, the majority can get traced back to a traumatic event experienced as a youngster. Furthermore, research reveals that a combination of underlying elements, such as genetic predisposition and biological, environmental, and psychological factors, might enhance the likelihood of cleithrophobia and the dread of small spaces. The following are some of the most common causes:
- Childhood traumatic or wrong events, such as being trapped or losing a parent;
- When in confined spaces, fear of the unknown;
- Genetic variables, such as having a cleithrophobic brother or parent;
- About disasters or dangers that occur in confined settings
Management and Treatment of Cleithrophobia
Cleithrophobia poses several difficulties, yet it is manageable. It’s always a good idea to seek help from a qualified mental health professional if your symptoms get limiting your quality of life or seem severe.
Systematic desensitization and other forms of cognitive-behavioral therapy have to get shown to help people overcome their fear of enclosed spaces and cleithrophobia. They should not get tried without the assistance of a qualified specialist.
While there is no cure for cleithrophobia, data suggests that a mix of therapy can help. Some therapy options are as follows:
Treatments in Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a method of assisting people suffering from mental health and emotional issues like tunnel phobia. The therapy works by removing or managing the bothersome symptoms, allowing the person to function better and improve their quality of life.
When dealing with daily life or recuperating from the effects of trauma, psychotherapy is ideal. It’s also appropriate for dealing with mental health issues, including sadness and anxiety. Recognize that there are numerous types of psychotherapy, and the most effective one will get determined by the unique difficulties.
Talk therapy for fear of confined places gets based on the premise that talking about difficulties or issues can help people cope with emotional pain. Some therapists adhere to specific schools of thought, such as behaviorism or cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Others use a more eclectic approach, combining principles and practices from several schools to meet the needs. Here are a few examples:
- Exposure therapy
To desensitize the anxiety, the therapist may begin by asking the client to visualize situations they could get trapped.
- Relaxation therapy
The therapist teaches breathing methods and assists the client in calming down their thoughts.
- Mindfulness
People get taught to accept themselves and be present at the moment to perceive things as they are.
- CBT
CBT is beneficial for most phobias because it focuses on and disrupts programmed negative mental patterns.
Medications
If talk therapy fails to alleviate phobia symptoms and you are still afraid of being trapped in small spaces, your therapist may recommend combining psychotherapy with alternative treatments. Sedatives can help reduce the severity of anxiety symptoms in specific instances.
Beta-blockers, which inhibit the effects of adrenaline, can also be helpful. They should only get used if a qualified health expert has prescribed them.
Antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds are two more medications that can get administered to someone terrified of confined quarters.
When Is It Necessary to Seek Advice from a Professional?
If you or someone you care about has cleithrophobia or the fear of being trapped in small spaces, the best approach to receive treatment is to seek professional help. Therapists with a lot of experience know how to use evidence-based treatments to assist clients with their phobia symptoms.
The good news is that teletherapy platforms no longer need to schedule in-office sessions or pay exorbitant fees to receive assistance. Online counseling platforms enable those who require assistance to connect with professionals conveniently and cost-effectively.
Conclusion
Claustrophobia is a situational phobia characterized by an unreasonable dread of being trapped in confined or crowded environments. It can get induced by situations like being imprisoned in a room with no windows in an overcrowded elevator.
