PSYC 110 Week 7 Psychological Disorders Create a Case Example

Student Name

Chamberlain University

PSYC-110: Psychology

Prof. Name

Date

Psychological Disorders: Case Study of Specific Phobia – Claustrophobia

Jack, a 25-year-old male, lives in a high-rise building on the fifth floor. Although many of his close friends live in the same building, particularly on the upper floors, Jack has never visited their apartments. He has lived in the building for about two years but consistently avoids using the elevator. His friends frequently make jokes about his refusal, to which Jack responds by claiming he enjoys taking the stairs for fitness purposes. However, his constant avoidance has started to create tension in his social circle, as his friends perceive his behavior as a lack of interest in spending time at their homes. This strain on friendships eventually motivated Jack to disclose the real reason for his behavior.

Childhood Experience Leading to Fear

During a lunch outing, Jack decided to share his underlying struggle. He described a traumatic event from childhood when he and his mother were trapped in a malfunctioning elevator at a local shopping mall. His mother’s visible distress escalated the situation, causing Jack to feel an overwhelming surge of fear. Both began to sweat, breathe heavily, and experience panic symptoms. This event created a lasting negative association with elevators, leading to avoidance behaviors that have persisted into adulthood.

Current Manifestations of Claustrophobia

Jack admits that although climbing numerous flights of stairs is inconvenient and physically exhausting, the emotional discomfort of being inside an elevator far outweighs the effort of walking. To him, elevator rides are not routine or harmless; instead, they provoke intense and prolonged anxiety. He experiences distressing thoughts of entrapment, fear of suffocation, and a lack of control whenever he imagines entering an enclosed space.

Symptom Analysis

The symptoms Jack experiences align with diagnostic criteria for Specific Phobia, particularly claustrophobia, which refers to the fear of confined spaces. The table below summarizes Jack’s case using a structured analysis.

Table 1

Analysis of Jack’s Phobia Based on Diagnostic Features

Social and Emotional Impact

Jack’s condition demonstrates how psychological disorders extend beyond internal distress and influence interpersonal relationships. His avoidance has strained friendships, caused misunderstandings, and restricted his ability to socialize freely. Furthermore, the daily inconvenience of avoiding elevators reduces his quality of life and limits his participation in routine activities.

Case Example: 

When discussing his case, Jack emphasized that while climbing multiple flights of stairs is physically tiring, it is far less frightening than the overwhelming dread he feels toward elevators. This illustrates how phobias operate irrationally; the individual recognizes that the fear is excessive, yet the anxiety is so severe that avoidance feels like the only option. Jack’s situation provides a strong example of a psychological disorder case study in Specific Phobia, making it a valuable learning reference for understanding the development, manifestation, and impact of phobias.

References

American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.; DSM-5-TR). American Psychiatric Publishing.

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Author.

PSYC 110 Week 7 Psychological Disorders Create a Case Example

Craske, M. G., Stein, M. B., Eley, T. C., Milad, M. R., Holmes, E. A., Rapee, R. M., & Wittchen, H. U. (2017). Anxiety disorders. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 3(17024). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrdp.2017.24