Claustrophobia
Anyone that has an irrational and intense fear of enclosed spaces is said to suffer with claustrophobia. Anyone who suffers with this anxiety disorder may break into a panic attack if they need to get onto an airplane, an elevator or even a bus. Just like any phobia, the severity of claustrophobia can vary from person to person. People who suffer from it can experience a fear of heights or even full blown agoraphobia. Medical testing that uses MRI chambers can also prove difficult for those that suffer with this disorder. No one yet knows what causes this disorder and some believe it could be the result of a bad child-hood experience. If you have a history of being nervous when confined to a small space, then it may eventually develop into claustrophobia.
If you suffer from claustrophobia you may feel an overwhelming sense of panic if you need to be in a small space for any length of time. Some physical symptoms that you may experience include sweaty palms, heart palpitations, feeling lightheaded and even nauseous. Some sufferers even say that it feels like the walls of the room are closing in around them. For some people they may even start to dread activities that may cause them to feel closed in, such as parties, concerts or even riding a roller coaster. This anxiety disorder can negatively impact your life, causing you to miss out on events that you may actually enjoy. Medically, being claustrophobic can be dangerous since it could keep you from having MRI scans performed to detect other illnesses.
There are treatment options available to help you cope with this disorder and other phobias. Many of them include prescription medications such as anti-anxiety and anti-depressants. Anti-anxiety medications work by reducing brain activity. While this may temporarily reduce the amount of anxiety you're feeling at the time, they do come with some very uncomfortable side effects, including constipation, dizziness and insomnia just to name a few. Another negative aspect of medication is once you stop taking it, your symptoms return completely. Some anti-depressant medications called MAOI's can have dangerous interactions with certain foods and drinks, so you are restricted in what you are able to eat and drink. So the foods you once enjoyed you may no longer be able to consume when taking these types of medications. If you need to stop taking an MAOI you cannot start another medication until it clears your system, to avoid drug interaction.
As a result of these side effects and possibly harmful interactions, drug free treatments for anxiety disorders like claustrophobia are becoming more and more popular. For starters, there are none of the uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous side effects that come with taking medication. Natural treatments are also non-habit forming, unlike medications where you run the risk of becoming dependent on them. There is one particular natural treatment that you can use to cure the symptoms if you are claustrophobic.
