What is Cleithrophobia?

Cleithrophobia is the phobia or fear of being trapped. The term comes from the Greek word cleithro which means to shut or close. People with cleithrophobia may feel fear when they are locked in a small space such as a bathroom stall. The symptoms of cleithrophobia include experiencing anxiety symptoms similar to other phobias: increased heart rate, dizziness, shaking, sweating, nausea, difficulty breathing, and fear of losing control.

The main trigger for cleithrophobia is any situation where a person feels trapped with no means of escape, and anxiety symptoms may increase to the point of a panic attack. It is possible for someone to feel uneasy or uncomfortable in small spaces without having a phobia. To be diagnosed with a specific phobia the fear must create significant distress or disruption in a person’s life: in other words, the fear must be out of proportion to the actual danger that is present. To be considered a phobia, a person confronted with these situations must show avoidance of the source of their fear or endure it with extreme distress.

Cleithrophobia vs Claustrophobia

Cleithrophobia is focused on being trapped in a space. People with this fear are not fearful of small spaces if there is a way out and they do not necessarily feel fearful when entering small spaces. They feel fear only if they feel trapped or locked in.

Claustrophobia is a fear of small spaces. Here, the focus is on the small space itself and a person may feel fear regardless of whether they can get out of the space or not.

The two phobias share similarities. People with claustrophobia often feel trapped or locked in a space even if they can exit it and people with cleithrophobia may feel fearful of a small space if they feel there is any possibility of being trapped. A person may experience both cleithrophobia and claustrophobia.

To gain a better understanding of cleithrophobia, take a look at this article. Here is an overview of the most common triggers:

• Locked bathroom stalls

• Locked rooms

• A stopped elevator/A elevator with doors that do not open immediately

• Being in an MRI machine for a set amount of time

• Being harnessed into something like a rollercoaster

Treatment for Cleithrophobia

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based treatment for phobias and often involves exposure therapy. Exposure therapy is a type of behavioral therapy where you practice confronting, or exposing yourself to, your fear so that over time the situation, activity, or object causes less anxiety. For example, you may practice taking elevators as frequently as you can as opposed to avoiding them. When you are fearful of something, it is natural to want to avoid it and the anxiety it causes. Avoidance temporarily lessens anxiety but leads to worsening anxiety over time. People get caught in a cycle of anxiety, avoidance, and increased anxiety as a result. Exposure breaks this cycle: by confronting your fear you will get the reassurance needed to learn that you are okay in feared situations, and the anxiety will lessen over time.

Most importantly, exposure therapy breaks associations between fear situations and bad outcomes. By repeatedly visiting a bathroom stall that is associated with being trapped, it will increase a sense of capability in facing fears and managing anxiety. This helps to create more realistic beliefs around feared situations which ultimately leads to feeling more comfortable experiencing fear.

Learn Cleithrophobia Coping Strategies at CBT Denver

At CBT Denver, we also involve techniques such as deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation to help you feel more comfortable as you practice exposure. In this setting, we will also challenge and reframe how you think about anxiety-provoking situations. For example, if you are in a locked bathroom stall and automatically think, “I will be trapped in here forever!” we will guide you toward challenging this thought and reframing it to “I am safe. I am not trapped. I can unlock the stall or call for help if needed.”

To learn more about coping with specific phobias including cleithrophobia, please contact us at CBT Denver.