Claustrophobia Homepage

Question: Can claustrophobia just be discovered, or does it need a trigger?

(Posted by: Mila on 2010-01-27 11:51:19)

I did an event for invisible children some time ago where hundreds of us made our own refugee camp, and wrote letters to the government concerning their situations. The whole purpose was to put ourselves in their shoes. and raise awareness But when I got our sleeping box, or whatever you would call it. I couldnt sleep, and would panic and was increasingly aware of my breathing. I knew it was irrational and I tried to calm myself down a lot. Now I have never experienced claustrophobia before or after this. and I'm wondering could I have clastrophobia, but only experience it in extremely small dark spaces, like this was, or was this my panic disorder reacting to a strange new and uncomfortable enviornment?

Posted by: Ben 2.0 on 2010-01-27, 12:25:47

It sounds like you have decided that your panic disorder has its own mind - if that's true, then leave your panic disorder to react how it wants, leaving you wonderfully unaffected. Set it free. We all have irrational and unsettling experiences from time to time, and we learn more about ourselves as a result. You don't need to over-analyze or try to categorize an experience, just celebrate your strength to bounce back and move forward.

Posted by: Shhh, I'm reading... on 2010-01-27, 11:58:02

If this has never happened before and you already have a diagnosed panic disorder, I think you would need another trigger to be able to know if it's claustrophobia. But if you've never had any reactions to other small spaces like elevators or small rooms then chances are pretty good that it was just an uncomfortable experience for you.