₦airaland Forum

OLUJOSHINS:
U listed things U hate. Not things that literally affect Ur health when U come in contact with them.

floragregs:
how exactly can I 'deal' with it? Plz help me out here. Tnx

Damsonkc:
Claustrophobia is a very very bad phobia. I don't know if it is hereditary. My two elder sisters and myself are claustrophobic. What keeps me going is identifying my triggers and avoiding them. I can't travel for long distances on a bus. I can't stay in a car or on a bus with the windows shut. The AC in a vehicle is my biggest trigger. I can't sit at the back of a bus, only if the bus is empty and all the windows closed. The moment I feel and see people sitting and blocking the exit, I get attacks. If I must travel by bus, I must sit in the front and I must open the the windows. I can manage the seat behind the driver's seat and I must have the windows open. Elevators are my worst nightmare. The very thought of flying sends to the pharmacist.

Last year Xmas, I travelled from Lagos to Asaba and it was the most horrible day of my life. The passengers would not have a bearded young man open the window while they enjoy their glorious AC. I had to buy an earpiece on the way and download jazz music to force myself to sleep most of the journey. I was going to my friend's village for a funeral last year and took an old bus to Owerri. We got stuck in traffic and I was doomed to sit at the back. I became hysterical. I was shouting and was about to faint. I jumped out of the bus right there and had to beg them to give me my bag that I wasn't traveling anymore. For some time now, I've not had any attacks and I never took any medication. I simply avoided crowded places else I have some distractions.

Abuklaw:
It's a pity that so many people suffer from different phobia. I have always advocate treating something by going back to its source. Any dictionary meaning or psychiatric meaning of phobia is "an irrational fear or hatred for something." This means you can only get rid of phobia by tackling the irrational aspect of problems. As someone rightly said here, our emotion receives signal before the brain and cause us to react before thinking something through.

Irrationality is when you can't see the reasons why some people are doing some things right while you can't. Believe me, you will be better off by allowing your brain to take charge of signals not emotion. You realise why they say women are weak because they are more emotional than rational and are more prone to phobia than men.

Adjust your brain to process signal like "I can cope if others can," "I won't die if others don't as a result of what I dread."

Phobia is a deadly psychological disease, it can deprive you many things. Job, marriage, good life, happiness et al.

MissSlimbody:
Please, is there anything like "food phobia"?
Most times I panic @the thought of food.

jacabi:
Sey u dey fear to cook ni abi u dey fear to eat?

MissSlimbody:
I go cook finish, I no go gree eat ma ni.

jacabi:
Sey hunger no dey catch u ni?

MissSlimbody:
Sometimes No, other times I get hungry, but don't eat. My case is spiritual.

floragregs:
[i]This is for those who have phobia problems. This is for those who don't even know they have it. This is for those who are not too lazy to read.




It started when I was in 100level in the university. I was young and inexperienced. I went to church with a friend, it was palm Sunday in the school's catholic church. The church was crowded there was even crowd outside (late comers). My friend and I were with the late comers. With our cross shaped palm leaves in our hands we stood patiently and listened to the priest from a very loud speaker. After the gospel reading, the doors were opened and people started rushing in (you know how students behave). My friend was dragging my left hand, urging me to hurry along with her but I was feeling something. I knew I had felt it once before but not like this. The crowd pushed forward and my friend couldn't hold me anymore. I felt choked up and very dizzy and I was gasping for air with my heart beating very fast. I didn't know what was happening to me. My friend was already inside the church when she realised I wasn't with her so she came outside to look for me. My heart was beating really fast and I was glad to see her. I just told her "Chinel, make we dey go hostel", she asked why, I just dragged her and we went back to the hostel without even blessing our 'palm cross'.
When we got to the hostel, I explained what I felt to my Chinel. I told her I could hear my heartbeat. She just rushed to the cupboard and brought out a sachet of tiny white drugs and gave me one. She said her doctor in Lagos recommended them when she had slight asthma symptoms. I just swallowed it without thinking or asking her any further questions. I wanted the palpitations to stop. After about 10minutes, I slept off. I woke up about an hour later, thanked Chinel and went upstairs to my room. But I just couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong with me.
I have an elder brother who lived and worked in the same city where I schooled. I called him around 4pm and told him I was sick. He didn't even wait for me to finish, he just said "ok start to come my house now now". I packed somethings and left for his place. His kids were happy to see me but something was troubling my mind so I couldn't play with them. The next morning, he took me to the Federal medical centre. We had a Doctor cousin there so it was easy for me to see him. After telling him what happened to me the previous day, he just said "you are Agoraphobic. Stay away from crowded places and lecture halls". He then prescribed a drug to control the palpitation. I was happy to have identified my problem. I did as he said, I stayed away from crowded places and halls and even market. I didn't notice when it stopped. I quit the drug and started living my normal life.
My second panic attack came when I was in 300level. I went to my sister's house in another state during one ASSU strike. We went to church one Sunday. The pastor making alter call for people with one sickness or the other. He even mentioned palpitation but I didn't want to face a crowd and experience another panic so I kept to myself. Then he told a short story of how he and his friend went to church and a pastor called out people like this. His friend who was asthmatic refused to come out so he died the next day bla bla bla. I still didn't go.
That night at home, I couldn't shake off the pastor's short story off my head. I wondered if something would go wrong. I went to bed at about 10pm but I couldn't sleep. I was thinking and I was scared. Some minutes to 12, something in my head started saying "so you refused to go out for prayers, you will die by sharp 12". The familiar wave of panic crept in. I jumped out of my bed with my heart beating very fast and loud. I knocked on my sister's room door. She came out with her husband. When she saw the horrible look on my face, she got scared and started crying and praying at the same time. I felt shortness of breath, my palms were sweaty, then the palpitation. I was having a panic attack. Why did I go to church that day? I thought. I hated the pastor for his short story. After some seconds I felt better. We all went back to bed. I slept well till morning. I felt good when I woke up, I didn't die!
When I was ready to go back to school, my sister's husband gave me a 'Rhapsody of realities' bible which contained nice and inspirational articles written by pastor Chris and his wife. These articles where inserted in between bible chapters. My sister's husband also gave me some verses to read when ever I felt sick.
My third panic attack came when I was still in 300level. We had workshop practice that Thursday afternoon by 1pm. I was already at the school gate by 12:30pm. I walking down to where we were to have the practical when I suddenly felt dizzy. I couldn't go further. I felt like if I did, I would faint. My heart started beating fast again and I felt shortness of breath but nobody noticed so I just turned and went back to the hostel. When I got my room I just cried and thought to myself "abi people for my village no want make I finish school?". Then I rebuked the thought and called my mum.
She was sick at that time and was admitted in another state about 2hours' bus ride. She told me to come over. I just packed somethings, not forgetting my bible, and left for the park. When I got to the hospital, they ran a test or two and said I had malaria. I didn't even bother to tell the doctor anything because I felt she might think I was crazy. I just let the treat malaria. They wanted to finish me with injections.
On my bed that night, I went through my Rhapsody bible and discovered an article by pastor Chris (page 654) "A very present help". It was just talking about fears, I was so happy to have seen it. I started reading psalm 91 everyday! I stayed in the hospital for 5days. I missed practical, tests and assignments. It was really bad because it affected my grade.
My brother came to take my mum and I home. I felt very dizzy, aftermath of plenty injections. I said to myself "I don't just any doctor, I need a shrink". I started browsing about phobias. I studied phobias more than my physics books. I wanted to know everything about them. We had free WIFI as at that time in my school so I always went to school with my ipod touch to browse and read about phobias. I started noticing that I didn't like being locked up in a room or being in closed spaces. I hated going to the bank because of the security door. I would say to my friends "if this door wastes one more second I might pass out". I just avoided tight and closed places, then I realised it was actually claustrophobia and not agoraphobia! Thanks to my browsing. I am sure 'Google' got tired of my search that period. Through my research, I got to know that millions of people have the same problems home and abroad. That was how I was able to conquer my fear. I haven't had a panic attack since I identified my problem and started avoiding what will trigger it. I even thought I would have a panic attack in NYSC camp because it felt like prison. Lol. But it didn't happen.

There are so many people who go through panic attack due to phobias but they don't even know it. You are half cured when you identify your problem and know that you are not the only one who has it. I remember the immigration recruitment test last year and I shiver with the knowledge that so many of them would have been claustrophobic or agoraphobic but didn't know it!
Holly wood actress, Whoopy Goldberg doesn't like being on a plane because she is aviophobic. Pete Edochie of Nollywood hates to fly because he's claustrophobic and can't be in an enclosed place. As for me, i'm still wondering if i'll be able to fly someday. I don't use elevators. I stay out of trouble because I don't want to ever be in a cell or worse still, a Nigerian prison. It has really affected me because I prefer to take long bus rides instead of flights.
There are worse phobias. I have read about Tokophobia which is the fear of pregnancy! The thought of a child growing in them makes them panic. There is also Xenophobia which is the fear of strangers or foreigners! They just hate meeting new people. I opened this thread to create little awareness of these problems.

My name is Flora. I'm a physicist and i'm Claustrophobic. Thanks for reading.

jacabi:
Joking, right?

MissSlimbody:
I wish I am o. And its not as if I'm scared of getting fat o. I really want to add flesh, but I no dey gree eat.

Damsonkc:
Claustrophobia is a very very bad phobia. I don't know if it is hereditary. My two elder sisters and myself are claustrophobic. What keeps me going is identifying my triggers and avoiding them. I can't travel for long distances on a bus. I can't stay in a car or on a bus with the windows shut. The AC in a vehicle is my biggest trigger. I can't sit at the back of a bus, only if the bus is empty and all the windows closed. The moment I feel and see people sitting and blocking the exit, I get attacks. If I must travel by bus, I must sit in the front and I must open the the windows. I can manage the seat behind the driver's seat and I must have the windows open. Elevators are my worst nightmare. The very thought of flying sends to the pharmacist.

Last year Xmas, I travelled from Lagos to Asaba and it was the most horrible day of my life. The passengers would not have a bearded young man open the window while they enjoy their glorious AC. I had to buy an earpiece on the way and download jazz music to force myself to sleep most of the journey. I was going to my friend's village for a funeral last year and took an old bus to Owerri. We got stuck in traffic and I was doomed to sit at the back. I became hysterical. I was shouting and was about to faint. I jumped out of the bus right there and had to beg them to give me my bag that I wasn't traveling anymore. For some time now, I've not had any attacks and I never took any medication. I avoided crowded places else I have some distractions.

floragregs:
This is for those who have phobia problems. This is for those who don't even know they have it. This is for those who are not too lazy to read.



It started when I was in 100level in the university. I was young and inexperienced. I went to church with a friend, it was palm Sunday in the school's catholic church. The church was crowded there was even crowd outside (late comers). My friend and I were with the late comers. With our cross shaped palm leaves in our hands we stood patiently and listened to the priest from a very loud speaker. After the gospel reading, the doors were opened and people started rushing in (you know how students behave). My friend was dragging my left hand, urging me to hurry along with her but I was feeling something. I knew I had felt it once before but not like this. The crowd pushed forward and my friend couldn't hold me anymore. I felt choked up and very dizzy and I was gasping for air with my heart beating very fast. I didn't know what was happening to me. My friend was already inside the church when she realised I wasn't with her so she came outside to look for me. My heart was beating really fast and I was glad to see her. I just told her "Chinel, make we dey go hostel", she asked why, I just dragged her and we went back to the hostel without even blessing our 'palm cross'.
When we got to the hostel, I explained what I felt to my Chinel. I told her I could hear my heartbeat. She just rushed to the cupboard and brought out a sachet of tiny white drugs and gave me one. She said her doctor in Lagos recommended them when she had slight asthma symptoms. I just swallowed it without thinking or asking her any further questions. I wanted the palpitations to stop. After about 10minutes, I slept off. I woke up about an hour later, thanked Chinel and went upstairs to my room. But I just couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong with me.
I have an elder brother who lived and worked in the same city where I schooled. I called him around 4pm and told him I was sick. He didn't even wait for me to finish, he just said "ok start to come my house now now". I packed somethings and left for his place. His kids were happy to see me but something was troubling my mind so I couldn't play with them. The next morning, he took me to the Federal medical centre. We had a Doctor cousin there so it was easy for me to see him. After telling him what happened to me the previous day, he just said "you are Agoraphobic. Stay away from crowded places and lecture halls". He then prescribed a drug to control the palpitation. I was happy to have identified my problem. I did as he said, I stayed away from crowded places and halls and even market. I didn't notice when it stopped. I quit the drug and started living my normal life.
My second panic attack came when I was in 300level. I went to my sister's house in another state during one ASSU strike. We went to church one Sunday. The pastor making alter call for people with one sickness or the other. He even mentioned palpitation but I didn't want to face a crowd and experience another panic so I kept to myself. Then he told a short story of how he and his friend went to church and a pastor called out people like this. His friend who was asthmatic refused to come out so he died the next day bla bla bla. I still didn't go.
That night at home, I couldn't shake off the pastor's short story off my head. I wondered if something would go wrong. I went to bed at about 10pm but I couldn't sleep. I was thinking and I was scared. Some minutes to 12, something in my head started saying "so you refused to go out for prayers, you will die by sharp 12". The familiar wave of panic crept in. I jumped out of my bed with my heart beating very fast and loud. I knocked on my sister's room door. She came out with her husband. When she saw the horrible look on my face, she got scared and started crying and praying at the same time. I felt shortness of breath, my palms were sweaty, then the palpitation. I was having a panic attack. Why did I go to church that day? I thought. I hated the pastor for his short story. After some seconds I felt better. We all went back to bed. I slept well till morning. I felt good when I woke up, I didn't die!
When I was ready to go back to school, my sister's husband gave me a 'Rhapsody of realities' bible which contained nice and inspirational articles written by pastor Chris and his wife. These articles where inserted in between bible chapters. My sister's husband also gave me some verses to read when ever I felt sick.
My third panic attack came when I was still in 300level. We had workshop practice that Thursday afternoon by 1pm. I was already at the school gate by 12:30pm. I walking down to where we were to have the practical when I suddenly felt dizzy. I couldn't go further. I felt like if I did, I would faint. My heart started beating fast again and I felt shortness of breath but nobody noticed so I just turned and went back to the hostel. When I got my room I just cried and thought to myself "abi people for my village no want make I finish school?". Then I rebuked the thought and called my mum.
She was sick at that time and was admitted in another state about 2hours' bus ride. She told me to come over. I just packed somethings, not forgetting my bible, and left for the park. When I got to the hospital, they ran a test or two and said I had malaria. I didn't even bother to tell the doctor anything because I felt she might think I was crazy. I just let the treat malaria. They wanted to finish me with injections.
On my bed that night, I went through my Rhapsody bible and discovered an article by pastor Chris (page 654) "A very present help". It was just talking about fears, I was so happy to have seen it. I started reading psalm 91 everyday! I stayed in the hospital for 5days. I missed practical, tests and assignments. It was really bad because it affected my grade.
My brother came to take my mum and I home. I felt very dizzy, aftermath of plenty injections. I said to myself "I don't just any doctor, I need a shrink". I started browsing about phobias. I studied phobias more than my physics books. I wanted to know everything about them. We had free WIFI as at that time in my school so I always went to school with my ipod touch to browse and read about phobias. I started noticing that I didn't like being locked up in a room or being in closed spaces. I hated going to the bank because of the security door. I would say to my friends "if this door wastes one more second I might pass out". I just avoided tight and closed places, then I realised it was actually claustrophobia and not agoraphobia! Thanks to my browsing. I am sure 'Google' got tired of my search that period. Through my research, I got to know that millions of people have the same problems home and abroad. That was how I was able to conquer my fear. I haven't had a panic attack since I identified my problem and started avoiding what will trigger it. I even thought I would have a panic attack in NYSC camp because it felt like prison. Lol. But it didn't happen.

There are so many people who go through panic attack due to phobias but they don't even know it. You are half cured when you identify your problem and know that you are not the only one who has it. I remember the immigration recruitment test last year and I shiver with the knowledge that so many of them would have been claustrophobic or agoraphobic but didn't know it!
Holly wood actress, Whoopy Goldberg doesn't like being on a plane because she is aviophobic. Pete Edochie of Nollywood hates to fly because he's claustrophobic and can't be in an enclosed place. As for me, i'm still wondering if i'll be able to fly someday. I don't use elevators. I stay out of trouble because I don't want to ever be in a cell or worse still, a Nigerian prison. It has really affected me because I prefer to take long bus rides instead of flights.
There are worse phobias. I have read about Tokophobia which is the fear of pregnancy! The thought of a child growing in them makes them panic. There is also Xenophobia which is the fear of strangers or foreigners! They just hate meeting new people. I opened this thread to create little awareness of these problems.

My name is Flora. I'm a physicist and i'm Claustrophobic. Thanks for reading.