How To Deal With Claustrophobia
Claustrophobia or fear of enclosed places is a common phobia that affects millions of individuals all around the globe. Most people who suffer from claustrophobia are afraid of being enclosed in small areas such as elevators and bathrooms. Sufferers come from diverse backgrounds and could be lawyers, doctors, soldiers and so on.
If you are claustrophobic, you have an idea of how terrifying it can be when you find yourself in an enclosed place such as the elevator and the panic symptoms kick in. The case is often worsened when the small area is occupied by other individuals who further crowd the available space and heighten the feeling of being trapped. In addition, the anxiety is increased when you contemplate the looming embarrassment you may experience when you experience a panic attack in front of other people. When gripped by claustrophobic panic attacks, it is possible for the sufferer to inflict harm on others in the desperate attempt to get out of the situation.
People seeking claustrophobia treatment should be aware that most of their fear is rooted in their irrational thought processes where harmless situations are perceived as being potentially harmful. In this case, the claustrophobic individual should seek to condition their mind before they get into a situation where they are likely to end up in confined places. You will find that with prior mind conditioning, you are better able to control your anxiety and avoid a possible panic attack.
Reading this, you might be wondering how you can be able to properly condition you mind to control how you react to feelings of being trapped. One way of relaxing and conditioning your mind is through deep breathing exercises. This method is prove not work, not only on claustrophobia, but is also adequate as Emetophobia treatment and on other kinds of phobias. However, you should ensure that you constantly practice and deep breathing techniques as to master the skill before you expose yourself to a potentially claustrophobic situation. You should not let yourself be faced with the potential of a claustrophobic panic attack before you have acquired deep breathing skills. Mastering the skill will enable you to engage it as soon as you start experiencing feelings of panic and therefore avoid a full blown panic attack.
You should note that it is of great importance that you start breathing in deeply as soon as you encounter a claustrophobic situation. To practice and master the skill, you should visualize a claustrophobic situation while in the comfort of your home. As soon as the anxiety and panic starts to surface, you should immediately start on the deep breathing exercises, by breathing deeply to the count of five, holding your breath to the count of five and subsequently exhaling to the count of five. Remember to always practice the deep breathing exercises before you are actually faced with the claustrophobic situation.
You should also be aware that most phobias are rooted on irrational fears and that most people are aware of this fact but are not able to control their anxiety towards the situation. It is therefore important that you identify the underlying cause of your fear.
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