The other definitions on here
don'
t do this word justice. Claustrophobia is in fact, NOT the
fear of
Santa Claus, contrary to popular belief. It is the
fear of a)
tight, enclosed spaces, b) being trapped or restricted (movement-wise), or c) suffocation. Claustrophobia can be a very serious issue and is extremely debilitating in all aspects of life.
Claustrophobia can stem from many things, even seemingly insignificant things. To give a few examples; waiting in a line for a long time, putting in in-ear headphones, using snorkel masks, going underground, being
sick and having a stuffy nose, standing in elevators, among many others. Being in situations
like these can result in
one type of the fears listed above.
Claustrophobia is a horrible fear to have, and it should be taken seriously. Having it can make a person feel
like they are going to die. I know what it feels like to have a panic attack from claustrophobia and it was THE most terrifying experience of my life. Nothing can compare to fear like that.
In the end, however, claustrophobia is not without treatment. If you are reading this and have claustrophobia, I won't tell you to not worry. All I can say is your fear is holding you back from loving life the way you could and help is out there!
John has claustrophobia. He feels
trapped while riding escalators, which
sometimes makes him have panic attacks. John uses mental and physical techniques to deal with his
fear, and rarely has anxiety anymore.