Claustrophobia?

[miss kiki]

i think i'm claustrophobic.

yesterday at work i did a one to one. he was on an isolation room, so i had to gown up and i sat in a corner of the room by the window..it was really hot and stuffy too. i felt really nauseous and dizzy, so i got up to walk by the door and peer out, thinking that might help me. i thought i was going to faint and then i started to feel like i was going to have a panic attack. a nurse was outside the door, so she gave me a chair and i started to dry heave, but nothing came out. i was given a wet washcloth and i kept telling myself to calm down. i felt better after a few minutes and then i was relieved to go on my break. by the time i came back, i felt really better and had some sips of ginger ale. i still felt fuzzy for the rest of the work day though.

today, i was back doing the one to one with the same person. i again felt fuzzy and light headed almost all day.

can claustrophobia be diagnosed and i know there's no cure, so what can help me? anyone here have or had the same problem?!

this has never happened to me before, and i do one to one's a fair amount of time..

here's a link if anyone's interested:
http://www.epigee.org/mental_health/claustrophobia.html

[Melinda]

it does sound like it to me.....

[Frannie]

If that is the only time it happens KiKKi then it sound like that coudl be the case....... but then I am no expert !!

[miss kiki]

yeah, it sounds like it to me too. just don't understand why now..

DH said it doesn't happen at home, because it's like my safe zone and i'm comfortable at home..i don't really understand what he means by that, but then again i do..but i never felt threatened or felt like i should feel panicky in a hospital room. :dk:

[Mad Old Cow]

I get it too Kiki & it is dreadful but not really anything you can do
I was stuck in a very tiny lift years ago with 3 other people & by the time they got the lift working & the door open i was on the floor with head between my legs LMAO

[Stormy]

Were you wearing a face mask as well?? Just thinking you might have been with the gown and all. I tend to hyperventilate subconsciously when I'm in full iso garb which makes me light-headed and nauseous. :hmm:

One way to check, go into your broom closet (or another small room) and shut the door with the light off. If you can't stand more than 2 seconds in there, I'd say you're claustrophobic. :yes:

[Cherie]

I cant go under shopping centre's, even if it is pouring with rain. :(
Got jammed in underneath Westfield Parramatta once, thought I was going to die. The exhaust fumes were dreadful.

[Mesmereyes]

sounds what happens to me when I have PANIC ATTACKS..

[miss kiki]

stormy-no, no mask..he was on contact precautions, not airborne..and i can't tell you how many times i've also had the mask on and i was fine..just really sweaty..going into the closet now, LOL. i stayed in the closet for a good minute and nothing happened. maybe it's just the isolation rooms that get to me?

mes-oh yeah, i have panic attacks too. very rarely though and i first felt nauseous and light headed..then i felt the panic starting. :yes:

[Sunny]

Is there something else about the situation or room that makes you feel trapped?
I get it too but its not an always thing - if i feel confined or forced and trapped its pretty much a given tho, you culd see if positive affirmations help you (they help me) so whatever your thougts are you can rewrite them by thinking i can leave the room at any time if i need - something like that anyway so you trick the trapped thoughts away

[miss kiki]

yeah..no, i don't really think so. that's the thing. it's weird. maybe i was just too hot with that gown and everything..hopefully it doesn't happen again, because it wasn't a fun feeling at all!

[Sunny]

maybe its the gown ur freaked at or heat then like you say instead of small rooms

[miss kiki]

yeah, it could be. :yes: