What Are the Treatments for Claustrophobia?

Claustrophobia, a fear of enclosed or confined spaces, causes extreme anxiety, and it occurs often for those who suffer from it. After all, people constantly face situations where they are confined. Claustrophobia treatments provide a lot of peace for these individuals, and there are several options for treatment.

Medications

• With most phobias, doctors or mental health professionals sometimes suggest medications as a means of treating the condition. According to the Mayo Clinic, the drugs are designed to reduce anxiety and fear and help individuals manage their reactions.

  Drug treatment generally falls into three different categories. Beta blockers block such adrenaline-based effects as increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure and involuntary shaking. Antidepressants interact with a chemical in the body, serotonin, to influence your mood. These serotonin inhibitors have various names. Examples are Zoloft and Paxil. Antidepressants often come with side effects. Check with your doctor about potential side effects before agreeing to try an antidepressant and tell your doctor if you experience side effects. The third option is a sedative. They help you relax. Common sedatives include Xanax, Valium and Ativan. Sedatives are highly addictive, and you should use them cautiously. Avoid sedatives if you have a history of drug or alcohol dependence.

Behavioral Therapy

• This therapy alternative is based upon the idea that the best way to overcome fear is to face it. You desensitize your fears by gradually and repeatedly exposing yourself to them. Self-therapy is one approach. In some cases, however, claustrophobia suffers receiver professional therapy from doctors or mental health professionals. In some cases, behavioral therapy is combined with medication treatment.

  One branch of this approach is professional cognitive behavioral therapy, which teaches you to view the feared object or situation in a different way. For example, you might focus on being free from noise and outside influence when you are confined to a small area. You also can play soothing music via a personal music player or car stereo to reduce your anxiety.

Hypnosis Therapy

• In this form of therapy, you allow hypnotists to "retrain" your mind to be comfortable with enclosure in tight spaces. By altering how your mind views the experience, you can eliminate the anxiety. Hypnosis allows patients to become extremely calm and relaxed while they think about their fear. The calmness removes the anxiety that occurs when you are actually enclosed in restricted spaces. Through repeated hypnotherapy, you become more comfortable with the experiences that once brought fear and anxiety.