Claustrophobia is a condition in which a person fears small or enclosed spaces, like elevators, closets, and rooms. It is a type of anxiety disorder, and it can be very debilitating.
Agoraphobia, on the other hand, is the fear of open public spaces. It is a common misconception that the two conditions are the same, but they are actually quite different.
As with cleithrophobia, the cause of claustrophobia is not fully understood. It can be related to environmental factors, biological processes, and personality traits.
Cleithrophobia, on the other hand, can be controlled through a form of therapy called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). A therapist helps you learn about how your phobia works, and then guides you through exposure exercises.
A recent study found that claustrophobic patients had a different response to in vivo exposure to confined environments on electroencephalography (EEG). They experienced changes in relative power spectral density (rPSD), which is a measure of electrical activity within the brain, than healthy controls.