Having struggled with depression most of my life, it was my first time this year to experience claustrophobia. I can see the reason for feeling this way - and I believe that it's so relevant to the situation, so I can't see the way that any Psychologist or councillor can help me not feel lke this, unless the problem is gone. Is this the usual way that this condition approaches a person? I am in between making a decision, this or that. So am feeling hard pressed. Either decision will bring huge changes to my life and lots of pain. Is that good reason to be suffering this? Burying my head in the sand seems the only way to cope at the moment. Maybe pain is just something to accept as a part of life.
Claustrophobia is an anxiety disorder often associated with physical symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks. Since many more than 50% of people with depression also have anxiety symptoms of one sort or another it’s not surprising that this has happened to you. You mention “burying my head in the sand” as a way of coping and this is sometimes ok for limited periods of time as long as there are not escalating consequences from doing this. Sooner or later most of us have to crawl back out into the daylight and face reality and sometimes experience ongoing pain as a part of life (in spite of what Hollywood tells us). All the more reason to continue to seek whatever help is available. I note that you’ve not mentioned medications in your letter and remind you that many of the drugs that help with depression also help with anxiety disorders and that psychologists and others skilled at desensitization techniques can be very useful in helping with claustrophobia.