Cleithrophobia: The Fear of Being Trapped

Cleithrophobia refers to the irrational fear of being trapped, locked in or unable to leave enclosed spaces.

Cleithrophobia comes from the Greek words cleithro (to shut or close) and fear (phobia). It affects between 2-5% of the population and is commonly grouped with winter phobias.

It is similar to claustrophobia, however significantly different. A Claustrophobic is afraid of entering a small or confined space, while for the Cleithrophobia it is not fear of the small or confined space, it’s being stuck, or not being able to leave that space that causes the fear.

Traumatic events that can trigger Cleithrophobia are:-

• Being trapped underneath a snowdrift, in a tunnel or deep hole.
• Being locked in a closet, trunk of a car, abandoned refrigerator, elevator etc.
• Amusement rides that have shoulder restraints or tight harness
• Medical devices like MRI machines

Symptoms

• Dizziness
• Fainting
• Vertigo
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Heart palpitations
• Panic attacks

Treatment for Cleithrophobia

Self-Help

Keep a daily journal, where you can write down your thoughts about confronting situations. Positive visualisation can help moderate your response to fearful situations.

Talk Therapy

Talking therapies are physically non intrusive laid back and consist of talking with a professional  about your thoughts, feelings and behaviours. The aim of this is to help you recognise unhelpful patterns in the way you think or act and make sense of things and understand yourself better. It needs to be done at a safe time and place with someone who won’t judge you.

Relaxation techniques

This is a general heading for everything from actual relaxation therapy, guided meditation and deep breathing on the mental side. On the physical side there is Yoga, stretching and physical exercise to work out your stress.

Exposure therapy

This is where you are repeatedly put into the situations that trigger your fear. The idea is to start small by just imagining places and situations and working your way up. This way over time you are slowly desensitized and can lead a more normal life.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy

This is a therapy that focuses and challenges the automatic negative thoughts, and is a general treatment for all kinds of anxiety and phobias. Should you follow a properly conducted treatment plan, you should notice significant improvement in 10 to 20 weeks. This type of program aims to change the unwanted negative thoughts and behaviour that result from the fear. It aims to identify if these thoughts are an accurate depiction of reality, and, if not, use strategies to challenge and overcome them.

Medication

Medication is not recommended as a first response for overcoming phobias, and should never be taken without consulting a doctor first. That being said, some types of medication are prescribed as short term solutions to the side effects of phobias.

Antidepressants  used for patients suffering from depression, and can help with anxiety and phobias as well.

Tranquillisers covers two major types of drugs. Tranquillisers and Barbiturates. They act as depressants to the central nervous system and are used to calm, induce sleep, or decrease anxiety. Commonly prescribed are the well known Vallium, Xanax and Temazepam.

Beta-blockers Beta blockers work by blocking adrenaline from causing symptoms like racing pulse, elevated blood pressure, or shaking.

If you can’t overcome your fear with practice alone, consider seeking professional help.

Sydney Phobia Therapy has an online therapy for the fear of being trapped and related phobias.

We currently use a 3rd generation version for Cleithophobia phobia therapy based on the original Fast Phobia Cure initially created by Richard Bandler and John Grinder in the 1970’s.

Now when I say fast, I mean typically one session only, no homework and its content free.

Content free means you don’t talk about, and you certainly don’t tell me, because I don’t want it either. You’re seeing me online, so stay in the comfort of your own space and no travel time, to have it removed, not to see if we can talk it to death.