Claustrophobia is an irrational fear of enclosed spaces. It is a type of anxiety disorder.
- SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- CAUSES OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- DIAGNOSIS OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- TREATMENTS FOR CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- PROGNOSIS OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- COMPLICATIONS OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- CLAUSTROPHOBIA AND AYURVEDA
- NIDANA- AYURVEDIC CAUSES OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- PURVAROOPAM- AYURVEDIC PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- SAMPRAPTI – AYURVEDIC PATHOGENESIS OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- LAKSHANA- AYURVEDIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- AYURVEDIC PROGNOSIS OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- CHIKITSA- AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- AYURVEDIC SAMANA TREATMENT FOR CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- AYURVEDIC LOCAL TREATMENT FOR CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- COMMONLY USED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES FOR CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- HOME REMEDIES FOR CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- DIET AND BEHAVIOUR FOR CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- YOGA FOR CLAUSTROPHOBIA
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- Anxiety
- Palpitations
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
- Fainting
- Panic attacks
- Nausea
CAUSES OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- Deformities in Amygdala – an area of the brain which controls fear
- Environmental factors
- Previous history of such events
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA
The pathophysiology of claustrophobia is not much clear. There is a chance of dysfunction of the amygdala (part of the brain that controls fear). Claustrophobia is triggered by environmental factors.
DIAGNOSIS OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- Proper History taking
- The diagnostic criteria of the American Psychiatric Association for specific phobias are:
- Excessive or irrational fear of a specific object or situation
- The object or situation is tolerated with distress or avoided
- Exposure to the feared object or situation leads to immediate anxiety or panic attack
- The individual is aware of the fear is excessive and irrational
- Avoidance or distress related to the feared object interferes with the person’s daily life.
TREATMENTS FOR CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- Self-exposure therapy
- Medications – antianxiety drugs
PROGNOSIS OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- Claustrophobia gradually disappears without medications.
- It is also manageable with proper therapies.
COMPLICATIONS OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- Severe anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Affects the person’s daily life
CLAUSTROPHOBIA AND AYURVEDA
- As per Ayurveda phobias are manifested due to the imbalance in vata dosha.
NIDANA- AYURVEDIC CAUSES OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- Excess vitiation of doshas particularly vata
- Increase of mano doshas like rajas and tamas
PURVAROOPAM- AYURVEDIC PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- Fear of closed spaces started during childhood
SAMPRAPTI – AYURVEDIC PATHOGENESIS OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA
Excessive vitiation of doshas in the body due to improper food and behaviours along with derangement in manodoshas leads to anxiety and phobias.
LAKSHANA- AYURVEDIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- Bhaya – fear of closed spaces
- Arati – restlessness
- Anxiety
AYURVEDIC PROGNOSIS OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- Symptoms are manageable with appropriate treatments
CHIKITSA- AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR CLAUSTROPHOBIA
AYURVEDIC SAMANA TREATMENT FOR CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- Brahmighrita
- Brahmi swarasa – juice of Bacopa monnieri
- Saraswataghrita
- Manasamitra vatakam
- Kalyanakaghrita
- Dasamolaghrita
- Aswagandharista
- Shankpushpi churna
AYURVEDIC LOCAL TREATMENT FOR CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- Murdha taila – oil application on the head
- Abhyanga – oil massage on the body
- Shirodhara
COMMONLY USED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES FOR CLAUSTROPHOBIA
Internal administration
- Brahmighrita
- Manasamitra vatakam
- Saraswataghrita
- Kalyanakaghrita
- Mahakalyanaka Ghrita
- Mahapaisachika Ghrita
- Chandanadi Tailam
- Himasagara Tailam
- Dasamolaghrita
- Aswagandharista
- Shankpushpi churna
HOME REMEDIES FOR CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- Avoid such situations
- Meditations and exercises
DIET AND BEHAVIOUR FOR CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- Avoid food items which produce dosha imbalance like cold and dry food, hard to digest. Because dosha imbalance aggravates the symptoms.
- Oil massage on the head is advised.
- Advice regular exercise
YOGA FOR CLAUSTROPHOBIA
- Nadi Shuddi Pranayam – Calms the mind
The patient needs to be seated in a meditative posture with the head and spine erect, with the body relaxed. The patient has to close his one nostril (e.g. left nostril if using the right hand and vice versa) with the thumb and exhale completely through the other nostril. Again, he will have to breathe in deeply through the other nostril while the opposite nostril is still closed with the thumb.
- Shavasana – relaxes the body and mind
- Bhastrika pranayama