Does your heart start racing in tight rooms or elevators? Do you bolt from small spaces just to breathe freely? You might have claustrophobia.
This persistent fear of enclosed spaces affects people in different ways. Some get by with hyperventilation, while others suffer full-blown panic attacks that keep them off planes or trains.
Personal stories hit harder than clinical facts because it’s hard to grasp unless you’ve lived it. When claustrophobics describe being trapped, their terror is so vivid you might forget you’re reading in a well-ventilated room.
