4 ms·

That's not a weird phobia by any means. That's very common and it's called claustrophobia.

by CloudNetworking 8y ago

arethuza 8y ago
I'm not afraid of small enclosed spaces (e.g. in a building) - I'm afraid of caves :-)
- CloudNetworking 8y ago
  Cavephobia! ;-) (as others point out, it's probably the same)
- beaconstudios 8y ago
  I'm no psychologist but I think claustrophobia can express itself in different ways in different people - if it's the enclosed spaces in caves that make you fearful/anxious, it's a claustrophobic reaction. You wouldn't necessarily also have to have the same reaction in e.g. an elevator.
  - cm2187 8y ago
    My personal experience is that I never experienced claustrophobia in normal conditions (lifts, tunnels) but I did while scuba diving in the dark.
  - A_Person 8y ago
    > claustrophobia can express itself in different ways Too right. I'm a reasonably experienced cave diver, and regularly dive in a system of 11km of intersecting fully-underwater tunnels, with the single entry/exit being a small pond, a few feet across, in a small, underground air-filled cave. I'd typically go 700-800 meters out, with a dozen navigational decisions along the way (left? right? straight ahead?), then have to reverse all that to get back out. But a few years ago I had an MRI, where you're wheeled into a narrow metal tube, on your back, with your arms pinned to your sides, with the tube an inch away from your face. Result: GET ME OUT!! GET ME OUT!! I had to be wheeled back out & take a break, before I could grit my teeth and try again. I absolutely hated it. I told them I was an active cave diver, but I don't think they believed me :-)
- nkozyra 8y ago
  There are degrees to these phobias, of course. One can find a four story roof acceptable but a ten story roof terrifying. Or a speech in front of twenty easy but one in front of 1000 paralyzing. Scope doesn't change the phobia.
- de_watcher 8y ago
  Of course. Caves aren't designed by people for people, so there are surprises there. I haven't thought that it's a big deal until actually having to lead into a pretty tight passage without prior information about it.
sanderjd 8y ago
I've always wondered this: is it appropriate to call fears of legitimately dangerous things "phobias"? I don't like being close to the edge of deadly tall cliffs; am I scared of heights or are cliffs just dangerous?
- zentiggr 8y ago
  My feeling also - look up the concept "l'appel du void", finally explained my reactions to high open places. Although I still don't like being in the high floors of buildings - those Dubai towers give me the honest to god creeps.
- setr 8y ago
  I would imagine its based on how reasonable the fear is; I have a (minor) fear of heights that activates regardless of how safe an environment I'm in. If I'm standing precariously on a rooftop, or just standing idly on a well-secured ladder, the fear is the same (given the same height). In my case, I can still operate without much trouble (it remains there, but I can ignore it), but if it were debilitating, I think it certainly makes sense to refer to it as a phobia. Not just a fear, but an unreasonable fear, that limits your ability to operate. I think a non-phobia would be acknowledging that the danger exists, but also acknowledging its risk (according to the safety of your environment), and your fear rises accordingly (linearly?).

That's not a weird phobia by any means. That's very common and it's called claustrophobia.

arethuza 8y ago

I'm not afraid of small enclosed spaces (e.g. in a building) - I'm afraid of caves :-)

CloudNetworking 8y ago
Cavephobia! ;-) (as others point out, it's probably the same)
beaconstudios 8y ago
I'm no psychologist but I think claustrophobia can express itself in different ways in different people - if it's the enclosed spaces in caves that make you fearful/anxious, it's a claustrophobic reaction. You wouldn't necessarily also have to have the same reaction in e.g. an elevator.
- cm2187 8y ago
  My personal experience is that I never experienced claustrophobia in normal conditions (lifts, tunnels) but I did while scuba diving in the dark.
- A_Person 8y ago
  > claustrophobia can express itself in different ways Too right. I'm a reasonably experienced cave diver, and regularly dive in a system of 11km of intersecting fully-underwater tunnels, with the single entry/exit being a small pond, a few feet across, in a small, underground air-filled cave. I'd typically go 700-800 meters out, with a dozen navigational decisions along the way (left? right? straight ahead?), then have to reverse all that to get back out. But a few years ago I had an MRI, where you're wheeled into a narrow metal tube, on your back, with your arms pinned to your sides, with the tube an inch away from your face. Result: GET ME OUT!! GET ME OUT!! I had to be wheeled back out & take a break, before I could grit my teeth and try again. I absolutely hated it. I told them I was an active cave diver, but I don't think they believed me :-)
nkozyra 8y ago
There are degrees to these phobias, of course. One can find a four story roof acceptable but a ten story roof terrifying. Or a speech in front of twenty easy but one in front of 1000 paralyzing. Scope doesn't change the phobia.
de_watcher 8y ago
Of course. Caves aren't designed by people for people, so there are surprises there. I haven't thought that it's a big deal until actually having to lead into a pretty tight passage without prior information about it.

sanderjd 8y ago

I've always wondered this: is it appropriate to call fears of legitimately dangerous things "phobias"? I don't like being close to the edge of deadly tall cliffs; am I scared of heights or are cliffs just dangerous?

zentiggr 8y ago
My feeling also - look up the concept "l'appel du void", finally explained my reactions to high open places. Although I still don't like being in the high floors of buildings - those Dubai towers give me the honest to god creeps.
setr 8y ago
I would imagine its based on how reasonable the fear is; I have a (minor) fear of heights that activates regardless of how safe an environment I'm in. If I'm standing precariously on a rooftop, or just standing idly on a well-secured ladder, the fear is the same (given the same height). In my case, I can still operate without much trouble (it remains there, but I can ignore it), but if it were debilitating, I think it certainly makes sense to refer to it as a phobia. Not just a fear, but an unreasonable fear, that limits your ability to operate. I think a non-phobia would be acknowledging that the danger exists, but also acknowledging its risk (according to the safety of your environment), and your fear rises accordingly (linearly?).