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.

@HelpaFriend85 do you know what it is that your friend takes before flying? Is it a benzo?

I have a fear of being trapped and always thought it was claustrophobia, but reading this thread I think it is cleithrophobia. I am terrified of MRI scans but I don't mind lifts unless they are crowded and I am okay on the underground, probably as I had to travel on it every day to work for years.

My latest fear/obsession is the idea of having to have radiotherapy on my head or neck and wearing one of those mesh masks which they apparently screw down onto some kind of machine. It is completely irrational as I, thankfully, do not have any need to have radiotherapy but I can still find myself getting into a panic about the future possibility of me having to undergo that sort of treatment.

I’ll ask him

Yes a type of Benzo but they don’t often given it just for flying now he said.

Gosh this is me! I thought it was claustrophobia. What's the difference?

This thread is giving me anxiety.

My latest fear/obsession is the idea of having to have radiotherapy on my head or neck and wearing one of those mesh masks which they apparently screw down onto some kind of machine. It is completely irrational as I, thankfully, do not have any need to have radiotherapy but I can still find myself getting into a panic about the future possibility of me having to undergo that sort of treatment.

OMG! Yes!!! It’s completely irrational as I also have any need for radiotherapy but I’ve seen videos of it on TikTok and it’s lodged itself in my brain.

I have found my people! Things that historically I couldn’t cope with:

rollercoasters, not scared of the actual feeling in the slightest and love that bit, it’s if they harness takes too long to come off and I feel trapped

plane doors shutting, again, I’ve had flying lessons and love flying, it’s the being trapped with no control

lifts - I’ll only go in if they look well maintained and not too small

public loos with no gaps (looking at you Starbucks)

dentist/motorway/theatre where I’m trapped with no escape

The One book that really helped was DARE, by BARRY MCDONAGH, Absolute game changer.

It’s the main thing that genuinely helped me. I was ‘trapped’ on a children’s ride with no escape for 10 minutes the other day, and managed to calmly deal with it. The book is amazing!!!! Essentially frame your thoughts, observe them, stay where you are, feelings subside, you were fine, phobia goes away.

I’ve really simplified it there! But I really encourage anyone with this problem to read it and implement the strategy. I’ve flown long haul without too much issue since reading it.

Sympathy to you all though, I used to be so jealous of people who have never had this, who can get in a lift without giving it another thought!!

Arghh the theatre. Have to get seats on the side not middle 😂

I really want to take my kids away next year to Canada but the thought of being on the plane for that long without being able to escape is terrifying. All the books or websites about flying are about fear of actually flying not of being trapped.

@Fifireee wish I had a solution for you!!

Ok, I am resurrecting a zombie thread - please don't shoot me. I have realised today that I definitely have cleithrophobia. I thought I hadn't heard of it before but see that I had previously commented on this thread! @HelpaFriend85 and others who have commented - how are you getting on now? There is a lot here that people have said that I also have issues with but something that happened today made me realise that it's not claustrophobia that's my issue at all. Does anyone have any therapeutic recommendations?

I know what caused mine too.

You know as a kid and you go under the bed, but if you turn your head a certain way- you get stuck?

Small spaces are a no from me

@HeadsAlwaysSpinnig I was talking to DP about this today and he said similar, he was in his loft in a small space and turned his head and got stuck. Just hearing it made me feel all panicky. For me it was getting stuck in a tube train when there was a point failure. All the lights went out and we were just sat there in the dark going nowhere <shudders>

@Iseethesilverlining I know this is an old thread so sorry for @-ing you, but would you mind offering any more detail about the CBT which helped you so much?

Hard relate here too everyone!

I saw a CBT therapist who was used to claustrophobia and agoraphobia, I found him through recommendation locally. We did a phased approach, choosing a particular issue (we started with trains as I have to commute for work) and mentally walking through it and challenging thoughts and behaviours at each stage. I then put into practice in the real world and we then moved on to the next stage once I could do that. Long process and some steps back as well as forward but life changing. I take planes now without a thought, even lifts. I can sometimes still get a slightly panicky feeling if the train stops where it shouldn’t but I can calm myself down really quickly with the tools he gave me. Was probably a 2 year process from where I started to not having to have diazepam to fly.

But I did have conscious sedation for my latest root canal which was going to be 3 hours. That was amazing!! Decided not to be a hero but to be kind to myself. The previous one I got through with some diazepam and CBT.

Thank you @Iseethesilverlining that’s really helpful and encouraging. Well done! May I ask the kind of phrases and questions you go back to when you need to?

And I’m glad you gave yourself grace for the root canal and had the sedation 😊

Aware this is an older thread but I’m sure this is what my DD9 is struggling with.

During a period of school anxiety which lead to trying to escape, the door was blocked to stop her from exiting the room.

Ever since she has a fear of feeling trapped. She can’t have the doors closed. It’s completely stopped her going to school. Accessing healthcare is difficult. Last two times we’ve gone to the GP she has ran away out the actual surgery and across a car park!

at a complete loss on how to deal with this, no one will refer her to CAMHS just keeps saying it’ll be bounced back or could be because of suspected ND (ADHD)