claustrophobia

American  

[klaw-struh-foh-bee-uh] / ˌklɔ strəˈfoʊ bi ə /

noun

Psychiatry.

1. an irrational or disproportionate fear of being in small or confined places and being unable to escape.

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claustrophobia British  

/ ˌklɔːstrəˈfəʊbɪə, ˌklɒs- /

noun

1. an abnormal fear of being closed in or of being in a confined space

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claustrophobia Cultural  

1. An abnormal fear of being shut in or enclosed.

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Usage

What does claustrophobia mean? Claustrophobia is the fear of being in (and not being able to get out of) small or confined spaces, such as tunnels, elevators, and crowded rooms.Claustrophobia is recognized as a psychological disorder and is often considered a kind of anxiety disorder. Those who are diagnosed with it often experience extreme anxiety when in confined spaces or when facing the possibility of being in one, which can result in a panic attack. But the word claustrophobia is also commonly used in a more general way to refer to the anxious discomfort that many people feel when they’re in an enclosed space. (In this way, many people’s feelings of claustrophobia don’t constitute a disorder.)Phobias are fears associated with specific objects or activities. These abnormal (unusual) fears are typically considered irrational (not based on reason) because the object of the fear isn’t usually harmful. Often, these fears are formed around a traumatic event.A person who has claustrophobia can be described as claustrophobic. This adjective can also be used to describe confined spaces that may make people feel this way.People with claustrophobia were once commonly referred to with the term claustrophobe, and some may still identify in this way, but this and many other similar labels based on medical conditions are often considered dehumanizing. It is now typically preferred to avoid the use of the word claustrophobe and focus on the person first instead of their condition, as in Kevin has claustrophobia (not Kevin is a claustrophobe) and People with claustrophobia (not Claustrophobes) usually avoid driving in tunnels.Example: My claustrophobia prevents me from doing some things that other people take for granted, like taking the elevator.

Other Word Forms

• claustrophobe noun
• claustrophobic adjective

Etymology

Origin of claustrophobia

First recorded in 1875–80; from Latin claustr(um) “bolt” + -o- + -phobia; claustrum

Compare meaning

How does claustrophobia compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• agoraphobia vs. claustrophobia

Example Sentences

Each show deals with claustrophobia in some way, either of a space, or of a mind.

From Los Angeles Times

The rating given for misinformation ranged from 0% for videos about anxiety and depression from YouTube Kids, to 56.9% for claustrophobia videos on YouTube, the authors wrote in The Journal of Social Media Research.

From BBC

We followed our guide single file—the aisle was not wide enough for two—fighting back the claustrophobia of these platforms rising everywhere above us.

From Literature

Jonah wondered if, on top of developing claustrophobia, he also might have begun to hyperventilate.

From Literature

Chiu suffered permanent damage to his hearing and struggled with claustrophobia for years, while Tsui said the ordeal robbed him of his adventurous personality and made him "a different person".

From Barron's