
Are you claustrophobic? This trigger-free claustrophobia test discovers if you’re afraid of small and confined places accurately by analyzing 20 symptoms.
The Claustrophobia Test Explained
It’s a set of psychological questions that reveal if you fear narrow spaces with the impression of being trapped.
Note that similar to our Trypophobia Test, the questions are 100% safe and do not include triggering images.
Here, the primary goal is to expose your phobia by analyzing four crucial factors.
· Symptoms
The test examines and inspects all the signs you might be afraid of confined spaces.
According to NHS, the most common claustrophobic symptoms are sweating, trembling, hot flushes or chills, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, a choking sensation, a rapid heartbeat, chest pain, or a feeling of tightness in the chest, a sensation of butterflies in the stomach.
· Experiences
Psychologists suggest that one of the primary causes of claustrophobia is trauma. So, the test extracts information about your upsetting or painful experiences to figure out if you have a phobia.
· Genetics
Having relatives with certain fears affect you. It’s believed that people with claustrophobic parents are more likely to undergo the same condition. So, the test also focuses on your genetics to finetune the results.
· Related phobias
Researches indicate that claustrophobia might be related to acrophobia or fear of height. While people with the latter condition overestimate the vertical space, the former group underestimates the horizontal space. So, we added some questions to expose any connections between your emotions and phobias.
Things You Learn by Taking the Test
Our editors didn’t want to leave you with a yes or no answer. So, the results include several extra pieces of information that would interest you. Here’s all you need to know.
Find the answer to “Are you claustrophobic?”
The premise of the questionnaire is to discover if you’re afraid of narrow or confined places. We created a database of symptoms, emotional and physical responses, and thought process patterns that claustrophobic people experience. Your answers help us match the information to the database, creating an accurate profile for you.
See if you have claustrophobia or cleithrophobia.
The noteworthy thing about the claustrophobia test is that it knows the difference between fear of narrow spaces and cleithrophobia. The latter is a fear of a situation, while the former is anxiety caused by being in a particular place. Cleithrophobia people feel threatened and scared when trapped in a place—no matter the size. But claustrophobic individuals only panic when the room is too small or overcrowded.
Your claustrophobia type.
Scientifically speaking, there are no different types of claustrophobia. However, people divide the fear into various groups based on the triggers. For example, fear of buses, airplanes, bathrooms, or elevators.
Learn more about your fear and where it comes from.
While it’s challenging to spot the root cause of a phobia, our test does its best to figure it out. By the end of the questionnaire, you receive a brief list of things that might have caused a fear of confined spaces in your brain.
How to Know if You Have Claustrophobia without a Test
You can ask yourself the following questions to find out if you are claustrophobic. It’s not an accurate technique, and we still recommend taking the quiz instead. But if you’re in a hurry or don’t trust online tests, this is your best bet.
Question #1: How anxious are you in a small or confined place?
Phobia is an irrational, uncontrollable fear or anxiety. So, you can’t call yourself claustrophobic if you just don’t like small places. A person with the condition would show extreme symptoms such as shortening of breath or faint. It’s important to know how significant and unbearable your emotions are to conclude a reliable result.
Question #2: How much effort do you put into avoiding enclosed or small places?
A person with a phobia might take extreme steps to get around a triggering situation. For instance, they may prefer to use the steps to get to the 8th floor instead of the elevator. So, if you’re asking yourself, “Am I claustrophobic?” try to think about your behaviors. Do you do everything in your power to decrease the probability of facing your fears?
Question #3: How does your fear affect your everyday life?
Claustrophobia can negatively affect your life, making it challenging to take care of your daily tasks. For example, you might be late for your work because you can’t take the bus or use the subway.
Question #4: What physical symptoms do you have?
The more intense symptoms you have in a small place, the more likely you are to be claustrophobic. The most common ones are excessive sweating, shuddering, hot flushes or chills, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing.
What if the Claustrophobia Test Said You Have the Fear?
Don’t panic. The fear of narrow spaces is common among all people in the world. And it’s often cured by psychotherapy. But if you’re not ready to start clinical treatment yet, follow these principles instead.
Note: The tips on how to overcome claustrophobia are provided by Dr. Nicole Cain, a clinical psychologist.
Engage your logic.
When the anxiety and fear show up, you have to fight to stay in control. Your logic can lend a hand and help you remind yourself of the irrational aspects of your emotions. For example, airplanes are the safest transportation method. So, when you feel claustrophobic inside one, you can be logical about the possibilities and focus on facts—rather than feelings.
Stop the drama.
The more you avoid your fears, the stronger they become. So, if you took the claustrophobia test and realized you have it, the next step should be facing it. You have to force yourself to get numb to the triggering situations.
Focus on things that make you feel safe.
One useful technique is to think about your happiest memories or the safest places you know of when triggered. It helps your brain to shift the focus and hopefully forget about your flight or fight response mode.
Have a claustrophobia kit with you.
You can buy or create kits that make you feel safe. Your kit can include items that remind you of your satisfying memories or practical stuff like a GPS or flashlight to give the impression of security.
Disclaimer: Read Before Taking the Claustrophobia Test
The questionnaire on this page is designed to help people know if they have a phobia of small/narrow places. Like all other online equivalents, it’s not a clinical test. However, it’s based on clinical findings and claustrophobia facts. So, you can rely on the results. But you should not use them a medical proof for a condition. The only person who can diagnose you with any sort of excessive fear/anxiety is a trained psychiatrist or psychologist.
Please, contact us if you have any questions about the quiz or your results. We respond to all the comments and emails as quickly as possible.
How to Play?
Playing personality quizzes is straightforward: Choose the option that’s true about you—or you relate to—and select “Next.” Unlike trivia quizzes, personality tests have no right or wrong answers. But the questions are in forced-choice format. The point is to push you to choose an option that makes the most sense, not the one that’s 100% true. For the most accurate results, don’t overthink your responses. Go with options that you “feel” are the best.
How many questions does this quiz have?
20 questions
How long does it take to complete this quiz?
8 minutes
Questions of the quiz
- Question 1
Which one sounds like a traumatic experience you've had before?
I was in an overcrowded place
I got stuck in a tiny place
I was locked in a room
None
- Question 2
Does anyone in your family have any claustrophobia-like fear?
We all hate overcrowded places
My parent(s) are claustrophobic
Yes, they're scared of being tied or locked up
Nope. No one has such fears.
- Question 3
What is the ideal personal space, in your opinion? (Personal space is the physical area around you is considered private).
About 5 feet
More than 6 feet
About 3 to 4 feet
1 to 2 feet is fine
- Question 4
Of the following scenarios, which one triggers your fears?
Being trapped in an overcrowded concert
Not being able to move or being paralyzed for a while
Losing your keys and being trapped in your car
None of them
- Question 5
On a scale of 0 to 5, how intense is your phobia? (5 means it's extremely intense).
1-2
5
3-4
It's 0 (not intense at all)
- Question 6
Which one is similar to your behavior when entering a new place?
I look the least crowded corner
I check the place's size and the windows
I make sure I remember all the exits
None of them sounds like me
- Question 7
Which of the following places sounds scary?
A subway which is full of passengers
A tiny whole which is the only way to exit a cave
A dark room with a locked door and no windows
None of them sound that scary
- Question 8
When did your claustrophobic thoughts start?
I'm not sure when they started
After I got trapped in a tiny place
When I got locked up in a room
I don't think I have such thoughts
- Question 9
How often do you feel triggered by an everyday situation like riding a bus?
Rarely. It depends on how crowded it is
All the time. I can't use public transportation at all.
Once in a while, especially when I'm not close to the exit
Never. I don't remember any incidents like that.
- Question 10
Do you fear being in a crowded room where you can't move at all or being trapped in a large room all alone?
I dislike both, and they trigger my fears
I'm terrified of not being able to move
I'm terrified of being trapped in a large room
I could handle both. They don't sound that scary.
- Question 11
Would you rather spend an hour paralyzed or being locked in a dark room?
I can't decide. Both of them are horrible.
I'd die of a heart attack if I was paralyzed
I would lose it if I was locked in a dark room
I could deal with both. (My fears are not triggered).
- Question 12
How do you react when your phobia is activated?
I feel stressed and start panting
I feel dizzy, breathless, and nauseous
I panic and start screaming
None of the above. I usually keep my cool.
- Question 13
Is your fear more about the place itself regardless of anything else or the consequences of being in a certain place?
I'm not sure. Probably both.
The place itself scares me.
It's more about the consequences of being there.
None of them sounds like my fears.
- Question 14
How quickly does your fear turn into an uncontrollable, irrational emotion?
It gradually gets more intense
I lost control as soon as I saw a scary place
It gets uncontrollable when I feel like I'm trapped
It depends. But it rarely gets irrational.
- Question 15
Does your fear make you want to fight or run away?
None. It just makes me feel disgusted.
It makes me want to run away ASAP.
It usually makes me want to fight back.
It depends on the situation.
- Question 16
Do you feel irritated when someone gets too close to you or restricts your movement?
Sometimes I do. But it's not a big deal.
Yes, it makes me feel like I'm choking.
Most of the time, yes. I don't like the feeling.
Not really. But it depends on the person.
- Question 17
Here's a random question; you wake up in a dark room, and some objects are around you. Which one do you pick?
Torch
Rope
Key
Gun
- Question 18
You enter a crowded restaurant, which table do you choose?
One that's in the corner
One that's not surrounded by other tables
One that's close to the exit(s)
One with the best view
- Question 19
What do you think about tight clothes or accessories?
I don't like wearing them
They make me feel like I can't breathe
I can't say I dislike them
I love them
- Question 20
Final question; which one makes you feel safe?
Being in my own room
Being in a large place with lots of windows
Being in a place with lots of exits
I think all of them would feel safe