Fear of closed spaces is called

Appeared in: NHM UP Staff Nurse-2021 Shift-2nd

Explanation

Claustrophobia is an anxiety disorder defined by an intense and irrational fear of confined or enclosed spaces.
Individuals with this phobia experience significant distress or panic when in situations like elevators, small windowless rooms, tunnels, or MRI machines.
The fear is disproportionate to the actual danger posed by the situation.
This is a direct recall question testing the definition of a specific phobia.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

Option A: Acrophobia is the specific phobia related to an intense fear of heights, not closed spaces.
Option C: Arachnophobia is the specific phobia characterized by an extreme fear of spiders and other arachnids, not closed spaces.
Option D: Autophobia, also known as monophobia, is the fear of being alone or isolated, not the fear of closed spaces.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Definitions of Specific Phobias as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses must be able to recognize signs of severe anxiety and panic in patients with phobias, especially during procedures that might trigger their fear (e.g., an MRI for a claustrophobic patient).
It is crucial to provide a safe and reassuring environment, stay with the patient during an acute attack, and use a calm, non-threatening approach.
Patient education on coping strategies, such as deep breathing and relaxation techniques, is a key nursing role in helping patients manage their phobias.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of psychiatric terminology.
First, identify the key phrase in the question stem: 'Fear of closed spaces'.
Next, systematically review each option and recall its definition.
Option A, Acrophobia, is fear of heights.
Option B, Claustrophobia, is fear of closed spaces.
Option C, Arachnophobia, is fear of spiders.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Definitions of Specific Phobias
Stem keywords: Fear, closed spaces
Lead-in keywords: is called
Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

QN5FLYadS33tyzjkHK-oIT

Reference Book

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 3869-3872

E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 1290-1292

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