Millions of people suffer from claustrophobia. This is described as being afraid of confinement in a small place. Examples would be an elevator or even a small bathroom. Usually one does not suffer from the symptoms of claustrophobia until the door closes and they feel there is no way out. It may be surprising to you to find out that not only does this condition affect the common, everyday person, but it also affects professional people such as doctors and lawyers.
Imagine being on an elevator when suddenly you feel the symptoms of a panic attack coming on. Perhaps there are several other people on the elevator with you, making the available space even smaller. Going into a panic attack in front of these people can not only cause you severe embarrassment, it could also cause you to hurt one of the individuals on the elevator with you.
As has been discussed before, panic attacks are usually not dangerous and you will not suffer any long term effects from them. Having a claustrophobic panic attack is much different from a normal panic attack. The sudden onset of a claustrophobic panic attack may cause you to lose control and hurt those around you in your desperation to get out of the small space that you are confined in.
A case in point is a trip up two floors of a hospital elevator. There were two people in the elevator; one was a doctor and the other a normal individual. The elevator stopped before it reached the second floor. The doors will not open unless the elevator arrives at the designated floor. The doctor was okay with the elevator as long as it was moving because he knew he would not be confined but for a few seconds. Once the elevator stopped the doctor became very agitated and stressed. He began beating on the walls and yelling for help. He was pacing back and forth in the elevator, putting the other person in jeopardy because the elevator could have easily fallen. This doctor was having a claustrophobic panic attack.
If this doctor had taken the time to condition himself to this type of situation beforehand he could have probably handled the situation differently. Taking the time to recognize that you suffer from claustrophobia will help you develop techniques to deal with the symptoms when they arise.
You can program yourself to immediately begin deep breathing exercises when you find yourself in a claustrophobic situation. This is not something that you can rely on unless you have practiced the technique beforehand. By taking the time before you get into a claustrophobic situation to make sure you know how to breathe properly you will have a better chance of getting through the experience with fewer symptoms.
When you are at home you can relax and try to imagine yourself in an enclosed elevator that is very small. As soon as you feel the panic coming on you should start your deep breathing exercises. If you practice this situation enough you will soon automatically begin this type of breathing as soon as you find yourself in an enclosed area. Taking the time to perfect the exercise beforehand will help you prevent the situation in the long run.
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