The ‘new normal’ associated with COVID19 pandemic has forced all to stay indoors for uncertain periods. Especially, for the elderly people, this particular routine of staying at home is creating issues making them feel anxious and even claustrophobic at times. Technically speaking, claustrophobia is a form of anxiety disorder caused by an irrational fear of having no escape or being closed-in. 

Staying indoors, we seek out the company of our loved ones, but sometimes being together for 24*7 spans in a small space can overwhelm our ability for emotional self-regulation. And lead to more complications--especially for people who have mild or severe fear of being held inside.  

As Namrata Sinha, a 32-year-old single woman, staying with her old parents in Mumbai says, “It is getting really difficult for them to adjust to this new normal. Papa is experiencing extreme mood swings and sometimes his anxiety is also leading to episodes of panic attacks. He says he cannot breathe, there is no space for him, the walls are closing on him…and he almost throws a fit or walks out of the door in a trance like situation and we have to forcibly bring him back in.

I feel threatened by his emotional outbursts nowadays. Mama too, she doesn't talk as much and is not open to the idea of extending the home-stay period. But it is bad for Papa.

He was never a person who liked to be in closed spaces..and now he complains of disorientation and confusion about the rooms in the house and suddenly starts sweating as he can't figure out the spaces. It leads him to feel lightheaded, dizzy and sometimes he even faints. 

When I searched about social isolation leading to feelings of claustrophobia, I got results with similar symptoms shown by my dad. All this while, I was living with him and I couldn't even realise that he was feeling claustrophobic. As the lockdown started extending, these same old walls and nowhere to go to with the idea of not being able to talk to a single new person, all piled up creating a fear of being caught up in this place without an escape--a miserable feeling for  him. 

I don't want him to feel this way, sometimes I even think of taking him out for a walk but then, how can I risk his healtht? I got to know that psychotherapy is the most common treatment type for claustrophobia as it seeks to isolate thoughts that come with the fear response in the individuals which in turn, helps them to replace these thoughts with healthier, practical thoughts. 

I need help on how I can gradually expose my dad to the situations that causes him fear. According to my research, facing the fears is known as desensitisation or self-exposure therapy. And I think I will reach out to a professional, as it is of utmost importance in the current situation. But if I get my father to talk to a therapist or enroll him for a teletherapy, will he think he  is going crazy and what if all these efforts to make him feel comfortable just backfire on me? It is really tricky right now, and I don't know what to do anymore. I need proper guidance…"