Does your heart start racing in tight rooms or elevators? Do you bolt from small spaces just to breathe freely? You might have claustrophobia.
This persistent fear of enclosed spaces affects people in different ways. Some get by with hyperventilation, while others suffer full-blown panic attacks that keep them off planes or trains.
Personal stories hit harder than clinical facts because it’s hard to grasp unless you’ve lived it. When claustrophobics describe being trapped, their terror is so vivid you might forget you’re reading in a well-ventilated room.
Below are 12 real-life horror stories that began in tight spaces and turned adults into kids hiding from imaginary monsters.
Avalanche Survival Story
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In 2003, Alan Davis lost his life in an avalanche in a narrow Utah ravine. The site was later named Davis Gulch in his memory, and it remains a favorite among thrill-seekers.
Fast-forward to January 2024: One of three skiers triggered a hard slab avalanche while exploring the same gulch. It surged downhill at 27 miles per hour.
According to the Utah Avalanche Center, the avalanche fractured 164 meters deep and formed a four-foot-thick pile of snow.
One skier lost a pole and got pinned. Cold, cut off from companions, and partially buried, they had to dig themselves out while battling rising panic. Fortunately, they escaped with only minor injuries.
Not long after, the slope gave way again, releasing a 7,800-foot-high debris pile exactly where the skier had just been.
Since the incident, local authorities have urged visitors to avoid high-risk conditions, especially during warmer spells.
Subway Cars Squeeze
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Imagine being trapped underground with 3,500 strangers, no air conditioning, and no WiFi. That was Maia’s nightmare when the F train came to a sudden stop after a nearby transformer explosion.
As Maia shared on TikTok, the train lost all communication. No one could reach loved ones, and claustrophobia quickly set in.
When rescuers arrived, the evacuation moved painfully slowly because only a few passengers could exit at a time. The worst part was that the only exits were through narrow maintenance tunnels and sewers.
Another passenger, Morgan Gruer, told Fox News that some people were so desperate, they climbed out through the train windows. Four people suffered minor injuries, but three refused medical help, just wanting to flee the nightmare.
Turkish Morca Cave Rescue Drama
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Renowned American caver Mark Dickey joined a team of speleologists to map an underground system in Turkey. In September 2023, they set out to explore Morca cave in the south, the country’s third-deepest cave. But the expedition took a terrifying turn.
Morca plunges 4,186 feet. CBS reported that Dickey was more than 3,400 feet down when he began vomiting blood, a symptom of severe internal bleeding.
His fiancée, who was also on the expedition, called for help. By the next day, a four-person rescue team had hiked seven hours into the cave to stabilize him.
Getting him out was another story. Rescuers had to maneuver a stretcher through tight, freezing tunnels while keeping him hydrated.
Over 200 volunteers from nine countries joined the effort. After eight days of prep and two days of hauling, Dickey finally emerged, 10 days after he fell ill.
Later, in a YouTube interview, he admitted he came "pretty close to fading" in the cave. He’s since advocated for mandatory health checks before deep cave expeditions.
Airbnb Lock-In Nightmare
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It’s the second-to-last day of your Lisbon vacation. You head out for a quick beer run, return to your Airbnb, and the door lock jams shut.
At first, it seems like no big deal. But after dozens of failed attempts and rising anxiety, the apartment starts to feel like a prison. You call the host. No answer. You reach out to Airbnb. Still nothing. Eventually, you shout for help, but no one hears.
This was the reality for a traveler known online as “Nonchalant Dre,” who posted his plea for help on Reddit.
Reddit users quickly jumped in with lock-picking advice and fire department numbers. But nothing worked.
Dre and his girlfriend stayed locked inside for more than 10 hours. Finally, a building staffer arrived with a spare key that opened the door immediately. It was a nightmare ending to an otherwise relaxing trip.
Play Cave Experience Gone Wrong
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Carl O’Keefe took his four kids to the Kong Adventure Center to celebrate a niece’s birthday. The indoor venue offered climbing walls and a play cave system. O’Keefe, a seasoned climber, decided to join the fun.
But things turned tragic. According to The Guardian, he slipped inside one of the tight, child-sized caves and got stuck. When staff couldn’t free him, emergency services were called, including fire crews and mine rescue units.
As rescuers dismantled the tunnel structure, his body became dangerously compressed. The lack of oxygen led to severe organ failure.
He was eventually pulled out and rushed to intensive care. His sister stayed by his side, but doctors confirmed the injuries were too extensive.
In her statement to Mirror, she said he was moved to a private room so he could "die with some dignity." O’Keefe passed away ten days after the accident.
Teen Sealed Inside Bank Vault
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Carl O’Keefe took his four kids to the Kong Adventure Center to celebrate a niece’s birthday. The indoor venue offered climbing walls and a play cave system. O’Keefe, a seasoned climber, decided to join the fun.
But things turned tragic. According to The Guardian, he slipped inside one of the tight, child-sized caves and got stuck. When staff couldn’t free him, emergency services were called, including fire crews and mine rescue units.
As rescuers dismantled the tunnel structure, his body became dangerously compressed. The lack of oxygen led to severe organ failure.
He was eventually pulled out and rushed to intensive care. His sister stayed by his side, but doctors confirmed the injuries were too extensive.
In her statement to Mirror, she said he was moved to a private room so he could "die with some dignity." O’Keefe passed away ten days after the accident.
Capsule Hotel Meltdown
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Capsule hotels may be a budget-friendly way to travel in Japan, but for the claustrophobic, they can feel like a waking nightmare.
These compact pods are just big enough to lie down and sit up, often stacked in bunk-like rows. A guest shared their chilling story on TripAdvisor after getting locked inside what they called a "cheap plastic" capsule.
At around 3 a.m., a fire alarm blared. While guests rushed to evacuate, several found themselves trapped inside their pods due to a keycard malfunction.
One person began to panic. No one could reach anyone else. The escape instructions were in a foreign language, and all the guests could do was peer at each other through the locked doors.
Thankfully, the fire alarm was false, and everyone made it out safely. Still, the guest was shocked the hotel never issued an apology.
Drain Pipe Dog Rescue Gone Awry
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In Giridih, India, an elderly man heard the cries of a puppy trapped deep inside a drain. Hoping to help, he climbed in to save it.
But once the puppy was safe, he realized he couldn’t climb back out. He managed to push his head and arms above ground, but the rest of his body was wedged tight in the narrow space.
Local authorities arrived with drills and tools to break the concrete slab and free him. The dramatic rescue was captured in a video posted by Live Lagatar.
The man suffered a few minor injuries, but both he and the puppy made it out alive.
Slot Canyon Dead Zone Ordeal
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On July 19, 2024, 26-year-old Madison Hart set out for a hike in northern Arizona. A few hours later, she thought she might never make it out alive.
She and a friend reached the canyon’s edge as temperatures rose beyond the forecast. About 200 feet in, Hart’s legs began to shake from the heat. According to USA Today, she slipped and slid into a narrow bend. Her hips were pinned. She could twist her upper body, but moving forward risked serious crush injuries.
With no cell service in the canyon, they couldn’t call for help. Hart’s friend lit an SOS fire and spent hours searching for signal. Meanwhile, Hart began filming what she feared were her final moments.
Eventually, they reached a roommate through Snapchat, who contacted rescuers. After 13 hours, crews pulled her out. Her legs had turned purple from prolonged compression.
The terrifying footage was later shared on TikTok, where viewers got a glimpse into her harrowing ordeal.
Underwater Cave Terror
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What happens when a claustrophobic confronts their worst fear inside an underwater cave?
Deea, a Romanian photographer and interior designer, shared her story on whereisdeea.com after scuba diving in Croatia. She had completed her training and passed every test, confident and ready for her dive near the Island of Rab.
In a group of forty divers, she entered the waters at Mag Prolaz. Her first attempt failed, as she couldn’t descend even with extra weights. But during her second try, she reached 32 feet below the surface with ease. Then came the cave.
Inside the Medova Busa cave, panic struck. The equipment worked fine, and conditions were ideal, but the enclosed space overwhelmed her. Surrounded by stone walls and stalactites, she became convinced she would never make it out alive.
Mine Worker Crushed
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In Tamworth, New South Wales, a mine worker was pinned under a 1,700-pound loader cab while doing solo maintenance work.
According to the Australasian Mine Safety Journal, the cab’s tilt mechanism failed and dropped onto his torso. He lay trapped for five minutes before his coworkers, who were on break, heard his cries and rushed to lift the machine.
Emergency services were called, and the worker escaped with only minor soft tissue injuries. But not all stories end so well.
Yahoo News reported a similar case where a mill worker was crushed under a packing machine and died after nearly an hour without help.
Viral MRI Tube Panic Attack
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In 2024, TikTok user @northwestnick went viral after sharing his terrifying first MRI experience.
For those unfamiliar, a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan requires you to lie still inside a tube while magnetic fields and radio waves scan your organs. It's a tight, noisy space, far from ideal for anyone with claustrophobia.
Nick said he wasn’t warned about the procedure. He panicked halfway in and had to stop the technician. After some coaxing, he was reinserted feet-first to help ease his anxiety, but that didn’t stop the panic of being trapped in a narrow, rumbling chamber.
After the scan, he filmed a TikTok from his car, visibly shaken. He couldn’t even use his seatbelt because the pressure across his chest felt unbearable.
The video received over 30,000 comments from people who had similar first-time experiences, many of whom said their claustrophobia was triggered by the MRI itself.
Do you think there should be a less traumatic way to get scanned?
FAQ
What is the cause of claustrophobia?
The current scientific theories suggest that claustrophobia is caused by a mix of genetic predisposition, traumatic childhood experiences, and/or learned behaviour from authority figures with similar fears.
How to overcome claustrophobia?
You can overcome claustrophobia with self-help techniques alongside professional Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Exposure Therapy.
What is the difference between claustrophobia and Cleithrophobia?
Claustrophobia is a fear of enclosed spaces, while cleithrophobia is a fear of being trapped or locked, usually worse in enclosed spaces.
What are three symptoms of claustrophobia?
Shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, and sweating triggered by enclosed spaces.