Claustrophobia
Claustrophobia, or fear of enclosed spaces, is one of the most common fears．Claustrophobia can be deep fear or even panic as a result of being in a small space．
Claustrophobia can develop after a troubling childhood experience （ such as being trapped in a small space during a childhood game） , or from another unpleasant experience later on in life related to small spaces （ such as being stuck in a lift）．_71 This response then becomes programmed in the brain, making an association between being in a tight space and feeling anxious or out-of-control．As a result, the person often develops claustrophobia．
According to Mark Powers, Ph．D．, Associate Professor of Psychology at Southern Methodist University," Claustrophobia is a specific fear and not a type of panic disorder．The primary specific danger forecasts for claustrophobia are that either the person will be trapped or run out of air．"
72 Claustrophobia symptoms can include: sweating, accelerated heartbeat, upset stomach, passing out, light-headedness, shaking, breathing problem, etc．
Some common situations can cause anxiety in claustrophobia sufferers．The claustrophobia sufferer will look for an exit when inside a room, avoid driving on the highway or major roads where there is heavy traffic when inside a car, avoid taking lifts when inside a building, or stand near a door when at a party． 73
Claustrophobia can have harmful social and psychological effects, since the patient will often avoid situations in which she thinks she will have an anxiety attack, leading to hiding and sadness．
74 According to Dr．Powers, " Exposure treatment, a form of mind-behavioral treatment, usually results in a total reduction in anxiety symptoms if conducted properly．"
Flooding is a type of exposure treatment in which the person is exposed to a situation until the anxiety attack passes; a less extreme form of exposure treatment is counter-conditioning．Counter conditioning includes behavior treatment, as the person is taught visualization and relaxation techniques before being slowly reintroduced to the cause situation．
75 Medications to help treat claustrophobia include things which help to ease the heart pounding often associated with anxiety attacks．
A．The good news is that claustrophobia is very treatable．
B．The past experience can trace back to the moment of birth．
C．According to some doctors, claustrophobia is worse than the fear of heights．
D．When a person experiences such an event, it can often cause a frightening panic attack．
E．In extreme cases, the very sight of a closed door can lead to feelings of anxiety in a person．
F．Treatment for claustrophobia can also include medication or a combination of several treatments．
G．When a person with claustrophobia finds herself in a restricted space, her body responds in certain ways．