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claustrophobia

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claustrophobia

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Also known as fear of confined spaces, fear of small spaces

Claustrophobia is a fear or anxiety of confined spaces. It is triggered by many situations or stimuli, including elevators, especially when crowded to capacity, windowless rooms, and hotel rooms with closed doors and sealed windows. Even bedrooms with a lock on the outside, small cars, and tight-necked clothing can induce a response in those with claustrophobia. It is typically classified as an anxiety disorder, which often results in panic attacks. The onset of claustrophobia has been attributed to many factors, including a reduction in the size of the amygdala, classical conditioning, or a g

AI overview

Claustrophobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by intense fear or panic in response to confined spaces, such as elevators, small rooms, or tight clothing. It matters because people with this condition experience significant distress in everyday situations, and understanding its triggers and origins can help those affected manage their symptoms and seek appropriate treatment.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Key facts

Medical condition (new).image
Do ashkaft cave 2.jpg
Medical condition (new).caption
Being trapped in a confined space can develop a case of claustrophobia.
Medical condition (new).field
Psychiatry

via Wikipedia infobox

Research

610 papers

via PubMed

~23 min read

Encyclopedic overview

22 sections
Contents
  • Signs and symptoms
  • Causes
  • Amygdala
  • Classical conditioning
  • Conditioning experiences
  • Prepared phobia
  • Diagnosis
  • Scale
  • Questionnaire
  • Treatment
  • Cognitive therapy
  • ''In vivo'' exposure
  • Interoceptive exposure
  • Studies
  • MRI procedure
  • Use of virtual reality distraction to reduce claustrophobia
  • Separating the fear of restriction and fear of suffocation
  • Probability ratings in claustrophobic patients and non-claustrophobics
  • See also
  • References
  • Bibliography
  • External links

Claustrophobia is a fear or anxiety of confined spaces. It is triggered by many situations or stimuli, including elevators, especially when crowded to capacity, windowless rooms, and hotel rooms with closed doors and sealed windows. Even bedrooms with a lock on the outside, small cars, and tight-necked clothing can induce a response in those with claustrophobia. It is typically classified as an anxiety disorder, which often results in panic attacks. The onset of claustrophobia has been attributed to many factors, including a reduction in the size of the amygdala, classical conditioning, or a genetic predisposition to fear small spaces.

One study indicates that anywhere from five to ten percent of the world population is affected by severe claustrophobia, but only a small percentage of these people receive some kind of treatment for the disorder.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “claustrophobia” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

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