I don’t want to do an escape room.

[Owt]

Partner wants me to go to an escape room with him. I don’t want to go as I am claustrophobic. This does not mean I am awkward, I went to Paris with my daughter and I enjoyed that and no I do not speak French but I did German at school and can still remember some of that. Anxiety can sometimes appear as awkward behaviour. I do suffer with some anxiety but that is possibly connected to claustrophobia.

I don't get the Paris and Germany link! But as someone who suffers from claustrophobia, I would NOT go into an escape room!

Because of the Eiffel Tower's lengthy walk. Duh.

Do Catholic schools have escape rooms in which people are bilingual?

OK. I admit defeat.

I have now googled 'link between escape rooms and the eiffel tower' and got this:
"The Eiffel Tower and escape rooms share a connection through themes and scenarios, often incorporating the tower's history or design into the puzzle-solving experience. Some escape rooms are directly themed around the Eiffel Tower, while others may use it as inspiration for their settings or narratives."

You're really getting flamed OP!!

I understood the gist of your post - You're generally happy to push the boundaries of your anxieties to do new things, but really don't want to do an escape room.

I'd say don't go! If your partner is making a big deal of you not going, that's on him for basically making a fuss over nothing - there are a million other things to do! And escape rooms are hardly an important thing either - it's not like you've declared "I refuse to try eating and vegetables" or "I refuse to attempt going to work". Billions of people have gone entire lifetimes without doing one, without it causing problems!!

FWIW too, I'd say I'm averagely adventurous, and open to trying new things within reason. There are still things I'd absolutely draw the line at though, for example skydiving or bunji jumping. Even thinking about it whilst typing now makes my stomach lurch 😬I think most people have certain things they know they'll hate - YANBU for not doing something that you don't want to x

I was invited to an escape room involving chocolate (yum) and am not a fan of enclosed spaces. It was actually a large room with a smaller side room and didn’t feel at all uncomfortable.can your DH check out some more details so you can be reassured?

There must be an escape room themed around a priest hole somewhere, and at that time Catholic priests would have spoken Latin as well as English.

Maybe OP is a Tudor priest reincarnated?

Just say no and plan something else. I’m not claustrophobic, I would always know someone would help us out if it was an emergency, but I don’t fancy the idea at all. Not very relaxing for a date either! Can’t he take his mates?

My DM is claustrophobic
She has done one no issue. The rooms are generally quite big (do your research) and you can walk out any time.

I wouldnt do one with my dh or best friend again as they were nightmares and "too proud" to ask for clues...

If you hate puzzles dont go, but if you do dont let it being "in a room" put you off.

Why do you keep chucking in irrelevant facts?
😂

I can speak Italian and I like crosswords, if that helps anyone?

I've only ever done one escape room and they did lock us in, it was in a cell of Shrewsbury Prison, I could see the bolt was across through the gap in the door.
There was an intercom but ours wasn't working.
I'm also claustrophobic and really didn't enjoy it but had the kids with me so did my best to control the panic.
After we escaped I said to the guard about being claustrophobic and he said that I should've informed them and they wouldn't have locked it so I'm guessing that's the same with any of them.

Perhaps ring the one you're planning to do and have a chat to them about it, you may find as some other posters have mentioned that you won't actually be locked in.

I imagine an escape room to be like a bad dream sequence, one where you are on a journey, trying to find somewhere, all clues take forever and lead nowhere.

My dh is claustrophobic, hates going on the tube etc. He was a bit worried before doing one but found he loves escape rooms

I love beans on toast but I don't play tennis anymore.

🤣🤣🤣

😁

They don't lock you in. But if you don't feel comfortable don't do it. I wouldn't go bungee jumping just because my partner wanted to

If your mind is a little more at ease now people explained you can normally leave at anytime, maybe give it a try? Might be better to go with some other friends so if you do wish to leave then your man is not left alone? As you have said, previous experience of pushing your boundaries has been positive and this could be too 😊

I don't find escape rooms claustrophobic, but then I'm fluent in Dutch and once came second in the 100 meters, so who's to say?

I don't think I'd like and escape room either but what about those murder mystery events instead, they look quite fun imo.

I'm cracking up with all of these crazy responses 🤣

Don’t then. You do have total agency over what you agree to. If you don’t, then it’s not a healthy relationship.

I don’t know why people are continuing to mock the OP who has explained she’s okay to be outside her comfort zone for done thing, but really doesn’t like potentially claustrophobic experienced. I don’t think I’m especially intuitive in being able to understand this.

@Owt I’ve visited an escape room as part of a team building day within the first week of starting my new job. The larger group was split into three smaller groups of 8-10 people and each group took turns to complete the 3 different escape rooms at the venue.

Whilst I usually hate these types of forced fun activities, especially with a group of people I barely knew, I ended up really enjoying myself (possibly helped by my team winning by solving each room in the quickest time)!

As PPs have said, you can leave the room at any time. There are staff monitoring the room via CCTV at all times so you aren’t being left to your own devices and they wouldn’t pressure you to stay in the room any longer than you are comfortable with.

If you think you’d enjoy using your knowledge, logic and reasoning to follow clues and solve puzzles, you should consider giving it a try. Whilst I’m sure your partner wouldn’t hold it against you if you decided not to go, I’m sure he’d really appreciate the effort if you gave it a try.

I feel obliged to declare I studied 1 year of French, 2 years of Spanish and 5 years of German at High School and also did A level German. My favourite German word is Meerschweinschen, which means Guinea Pigs. I don’t, and never have owned, a Guinea Pig.