Cleithrophobia - fear of being trapped anyone else?

[HelpaFriend85]

I used to think I was claustrophobic but recent events have made me realise it’s actually a fear of being trapped.

examples when the plane door shuts my heart beats faster and I start to panic, I think about air running out and how I can’t escape. I breathe, I rationalise and calm myself down eventually.

lifts can trigger this but not so often. A big one is the car. My husband is often quick to lock the car door he doesn’t always look back to see if I’m actually out of the car, I might be collecting rubbish, water bottles etc to throw away and then he’s locked the door. I can’t describe it I start
banging the window door etc. he said to me last time of course I’m not going to leave you locked in the car and I’ve now asked him not to be so quick to lock the door.

I really need to get over this phobia.

I can relate to this, but I thought it was just part of my claustrophobia.

I don't like room doors to be closed and I like windows open too. If a lock gets jammed or is resistant, I panic. I don't like being closed in anywhere and I always look for the way out in shops, buildings etc.

Hi @stbrandonsboat I’m ok in larger rooms having the doors closed, generally! Although yesterday visiting family they had their door closed and we always have ours open during the day just into the garden to air the house and I asked them to open it.

shops im ok, I can panic on the Tube if it’s super packed and will stand near window or just wait for the next one!

Yes I can relate, I hate being anywhere that I may not be able to get out off. Lifts are a problem, hate flying, the worse thing is that I pee frequently and my local town has lots of toilets but they are all the metal box types that I really panic in! Is such a pain.

Urgh, the Tube is awful. I don't think I could go on it now if I visited London. Being underground as well 😱

Sometimes, to torment myself, I watch caving videos on YouTube.

I'm so scared of those metal box toilets. I've never dared go in one.

I've been stuck in toilets twice due to locks jamming or whatever, with no escape - no room above/below the door etc - and I have had the fear about being locked in somewhere ever since. I take my phone into loos just in case.

I'm fine with lifts, but I get really panicky if I have to squeeze through a small space. You won't ever see me going caving or potholing. 😬

I also like having windows open but that's more because I hate stuffy, stale air.

I can definitely identify with this feeling, but the car door should still open from the inside even if locked from the outside? Or am I wrong about that?

I have this. I had no idea what it was called. I went to a meeting recently where I had to still at the end of a row and I couldn’t really get out until the meeting had finished. That freaked me out.
I’m ok with lifts.
My biggest problems are the dentist - when they’re doing something and you can’t leave or escape because you need to let them finish. I had such a bad panic attack last time I almost passed out.
The main one is driving on motorways. Vast stretches where you can’t leave. So miles without a turn off. The motorway one is a huge pain because I’ve stopped driving on motorways or A roads. I can drive through central London no problem.
I thought it was a form of claustrophobia.

I really want to get over it. The motorway one is the hardest because I can’t risk a panic attack whilst driving.

Dentist yes!! MRI scanner 100% traumatic for me. Even with a panic button. Not sure about the car door, I could beep the horn. It’s like I think we’ll run out of air!

Something happened in your past and now your amygdala is on high alert for doors slamming and suchlike.

You can't stop this, it's mild PTSD. You need to do something like CBT, exposure therapy, or self-work to coax yourself out of it and tell your brain that it's fine to hear a door slamming.

It can happen with anything. I fell down stairs once, then even seeing the top of stairs triggered me. I think exposure therapy took care of it, it was a mild triggering and I had lots of exposure.

Once you know how these things work they are more easily dealt with.

I suffer from this. Once, at a party, I had a go in one of those Sumo suits. I fell on my back and, because they are weighted, I couldn’t get up. Everyone was surrounding my laughing and I had a huge panic attack. An awful memory!

I hate being anywhere without having a window open. And I can't sit with my back to the door - I need to see where the exit is and who might be coming in or out. And I can't wear super-tight or restrictive clothing, it makes me panic.

I can’t sit in the middle of people. In an aeroplane it has to be an aisle seat.

the door closing isn’t an issue it’s when DH locks the car and I’m still in it I panic. I’ll be speaking with my therapist. Thank you

I feel very panicked, like air will run out, I start banging the window to let me out, last time I was so shook up.

I think I need therapy. I push myself all the time but I’m not prepared to do that with motorway driving! I might kill someone.

These kinds of things are so frustrating.

Totally have this and menopause is making it worse

Recently had to be reroomed in hotel because it only had a sky light!!!!
And I told man in desk I have to be able to rescue my family from all types of emergency ( even though all windows are locked ).

I don't lock toilet doors especially if cubicle is sealed floor to sealing ( I would scramble over the top of the next door ladies head to escape if necessary !! I'm not joking )

I panic in my MIL house as she has all windows and doors sealed with alarm at night and just the thought that I can't get out with out setting off the alarm gives me the panic

I have this. I have had panic attacks on trains and in cars. I hate the dentist and hairdresser because I am trapped. I avoid lifts and I don't fly. I wish I wasn't. Ike this

I've found my people!

I can't drive on the motorway, or even go anywhere that I'm not familiar with, in case I get trapped in traffic. The long stretches of road with no exit is horrifying for me.

I haven't flown in years for fear of having a major panic attack that lasts for hours and then I'm stuck in a foreign country.

I wish I wasn't like this 😔

Yes oh yes! I was actually diagnosed with agoraphobia instead (Cleithrophobia specifically relates to the fear of being trapped, while agoraphobia involves a fear of situations where escape may be challenging or help may not be readily available) - I could get the same panic feelings in a meeting which I knew I couldn’t leave, even if not physically trapped. Hard work on CBT made a huge difference. I now fly and take trains happily, don’t have to avoid motorway holdups, go under bridges and even occasionally in lifts, none of which I could do before. Still don’t do the tube though!!

its very real! I spoke with a friend who takes something before flying!

I’ve never felt scared on the motorway but aeroplanes and even trains can be difficult for me.

I find the dentist and long treatments impossible.

@overthinkersanonnymus

I'm getting issues with motorway as well, in normal weather I'm OK it's in extremer weather I panic eg hot sun or risk of snow.

Definitely can't cope with lifts esp if loads of people crowd into a small lift because I'm thinking about being stuck for an hour with so many people.

Same about plane etc.

@RoseandVioletCreams urrrgh I hate the snow as well. Even if im not driving, it makes me feel trapped.

Why are we like this 😂

@Fifireee hairdressers, dentist, social occasions where I'm expected to stay for a long period of time, holidays, trains. It's all horrible

I’m like this too, I always thought it was claustrophobia.

I can’t cope with motorcycle helmets that cover my face, can’t snorkel or scuba dive as I can’t cope with the masks over my face. I panic if I get stuck in a jumper.

I hate kids soft play ball pits as I worry I’ll get buried in them, or trampoline parks with the big chunks of foam. Those tube water slides at water parks. Hate lifts, had to have an MRI under sedation. Terrified of flying. Had a panic attack in Wookey Hole. Any kind of tunnel makes me panic

I couldn’t even watch that film about those Brazilian miners without panicking.

I’m ok with motorways usually, but I went on a coach trip and found it quite difficult. I have to use ferries often and I’m ok on the open car ferry but panic on the enclosed fast car.

I always thought it was claustrophobia, but thinking about it, it’s not always enclosed spaces