As humans, we can be social creatures. Our natural human instincts allow us to seek comfort in each other. When we are trapped in a lockdown due to the spread of coronavirus pandemic in places with no escape, this anxiety can easily come on. By doing the work of self-awareness, we can help ourselves overcome claustrophobia and lockdown.
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What Does A Lockdown Look Like?
There are five stages of a lockdown. All patients are restrained in the facility, so for some people, this may look like being strapped in a chair. There’s no escape. You just wait and count the days till you get well from the covid-19 infection.
What is claustrophobia?
It is an abnormal, extreme, or persistent fear of being enclosed, cramped, isolated, or enclosed within a space. This is what happens during a lockdown in the hospital, is that we panic because we feel trapped or confined. We don’t know how to escape, and we get afraid, angry, and frustrated. What’s more disturbing is the looks people give you like you are a crazy person, when they realize you have the irrational fear of confined places. It can be the liftman judging you or the underground parking lot manager staring at you like you have an extra head.
Symptoms of claustrophobia
- Excessive sweating
- Stomach pain and nausea
- Vomiting
- Anxiety and tension
- Tightness in the chest, throat, or abdomen
- Tightness in shoulder muscles
- Problems concentrating or making decisions
- Fidgeting, foot-tapping, hand wringing, or other forms of self-stimulation
- Restlessness
- Dry mouth or blurred vision
The initial symptoms of claustrophobia are a combination of physical and mental and we often feel like we’re suffocating. It’s like being held underwater with no air to breathe. The aftermath of having a panic attack due to claustrophobia is that you feel so fatigued; it’s as if all the energy has been drained out of you.
There are things we can do to physically relieve the symptoms of claustrophobia:
- Put on your favorite music or put on noise-canceling headphones.
- Turn up the air conditioning.
- Inhale air slowly through your nose.
- Try to focus on things around you like watch time pass on your watch or try to focus on things happening around you.
- While taking a lift you need to try to remember that these feelings of suffocation are just going to last for few minutes and then your body will start to automatically adjust itself according to surroundings.
The best way to conquer claustrophobia in lockdown
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy :
Cognitive behavior therapy will allow you to isolate and alter the thoughts that come with the fear response and replace these with practical rational thoughts.
Activating your vagus
One of the ways you can overcome claustrophobia is to learn to use your brain’s fear-suppression parts to calm your amygdala down and let the rest of your brain take over the thinking. The amygdala starts getting active causing strong feelings of anxiety or panic in the situations you know rationally there is no reason to fear for your safety. This causes us to try and protect ourselves either by fighting the problem or escaping it. In claustrophobia, a person usually tries to escape the situation thereby reinforcing the fear of the situation.
One of the simplest ways to activate the vagus is by gently massaging inside the ear canal by pressing your finger back towards your head. This will help by calming you down a little.
things you can do to stop feeling claustrophobic
- Breathe When we find ourselves in a situation that we are not comfortable with, we breathe
- Choose an object in the room that is completely harmless. When we have not mastered a skill, it is hard to make the first move. We have to take a step toward conquering our fears. If you are stuck in a room that you have claustrophobia with, put on something that you want to be comfortable in and choose something that makes you feel safe. Pick a book, a pillow, a blanket, anything that makes you feel safe. Have the purpose of being comfortable in that room. It will work wonders for you.
- Don’t ignore or run from your fear. Accept it, and then give it a place in your life.
- Pay attention to your breathing That’s probably one of the most overlooked, but most important things when you feel like you are drowning. Breathe in and out. Count your breath – in and out.
How to cope with claustrophobia during lockdown
Getting the right mindset is the key to overcoming our fear of confinement.
- You can always imagine you’re going on holiday to the Maldives. Think about anything interesting. Read a book to take your mind off it or watch a series if possible.
- Ask yourself in this lockdown, “What can I do with this time, to make the best of it and build creativity within?
- It always helps to have someone to talk to(even if it’s over a phone) who talks with you through it and listens to you when you panic without being judgemental.
- Take baby steps and try to consciously face fears. Manage your fear early on can help you prevent it from escalating and taking control of your life.
Concluding thoughts on claustrophobia and lockdown
A well-founded fear of tight spaces, with or without panic or other symptoms, can take months or even years to work through,” which is why some people with claustrophobia may not even realize that they have it. If you think that you might have claustrophobia, you should consider reaching out to a psychologist who can help you work through this. The treatment for this could be as simple as a few sessions to understand why you feel trapped and then a different technique to help you overcome it.
Dr Amit Sharma is a Doctor and writer with a particular interest in mental health. He helps individuals by combining practical advice with emotional support.