CABIN SYNDROME

Just over a year ago, we all lived through an exceptional moment: confinement due to COVID-19. The health fight against the new coronavirus made it necessary to confine all people in their homes. The transition to the "new normal" after the home confinement was not the same for everyone, and there may be cases in which going out again caused great discomfort.

Beyond this situation, others related to prolonged confinement such as long stays in hospitals, can cause a characteristic symptomatology that gives rise to the so-called “syndrome of the cabin". While it is true that it is not a new phenomenon, lately we have been able to hear about it to a greater extent. If you want to know more, continue reading this Psychology-Online article about the Cabin syndrome: what is it, causes, symptoms and treatment.

Index

1. What is cabin syndrome
2. Symptoms of cabin syndrome
3. Cabin syndrome treatment

The cabin syndrome collects a number of

Although, as we have pointed out, it is a very present phenomenon due to the home confinement we have experienced, the truth is that it is not a disorder collected in the DSM-5 diagnostic classifications of the American Psychiatric Association^[1] nor in the ICD-11 of the World Health Organization^[2].

Since it is not a diagnostic category, it has not been studied either, so we lack scientific literature to be able to make a more detailed exposition of the phenomenon. Perhaps the lack of interest has caused a lack of studies and therefore the construction of a diagnostic category.

What is cabin syndrome in the context of COVID-19

As we have already pointed out previously, the cabin syndrome has acquired special importance due to the confinement that we have had to carry out due to the pandemic that we are experiencing. However, already in the nineteenth century there was already talk about this phenomenon.

The fear, like any other emotion, has a adaptive function. Fear is precisely the emotion that leads us to follow sanitary security measures, such as wearing a mask, washing our hands and complying with social distancing). Therefore, experiencing fear of contagion can be considered a normal response.

Beyond the normal responses that we can present to a greater or lesser extent, the truth is that excessive fear can prevent us from returning to normality. If this happens, we could be talking about a problem and it is precisely this that we understand as “cabin syndrome”.

Finally, in the context in which we are living, we are aware that we have a large amount of information at our disposal. Beyond the need and the right to be informed, the truth is that, on occasions, this excess of information can elevate the fear response to maladaptive levels. So, we must be critical and careful with the information that we receive.

Although we do not have studies to support it, the truth is that there seems to be a consensus that cabin syndrome is associated with the symptoms of depressive anxiety disorder.

After prolonged confinement, the person may show concerns about dangers or negative consequences related to the change of environment, whether real or not. For example, in relation to confinement for COVID-19, the person may present an intense fear when anticipating that if he leaves the house he may be infected.

The fact of changing surroundings, in addition to anticipation, can provoke intense physiological responses associated with fear. Thus, the symptoms of cabin syndrome are:

• Tachycardias
• Pressure in the chest.
• Shortness of breath
• Sweating
• Cognitive difficulties related to concentration Y the memory.
• Sleep related problems.
• Lack of motivation.

These physiological and psychological reactions, together with the anticipation mentioned above, cause the person to experience intense discomfort. Therefore, in a behavioral dimension, avoid changing environment. Thus, one of the examples of the cabin syndrome applied to the pandemic situation would be to stay at home and avoid going outside. In this way, it would avoid the appearance of anxious symptoms, which in turn would reinforce the avoidance response

As we have been exposing in this article, the cabin syndrome does not have scientific support that tells us what treatment or intervention is appropriate in these cases. Nevertheless, the evaluation that the professional carries out of the case will indicate the roadmap to be followed by psychological intervention. However, regarding this intervention, the treatment of cabin syndrome could be done as follows:

• Deactivation techniques: to reduce physiological symptoms related to the anxiety.
• Explore the existence of irrational ideas: using cognitive techniques to treat them.
• Encourage controlled and scheduled departures: it should be done gradually. As we have pointed out, avoidance contributes to maintaining the avoidance response (not changing surroundings), so taking small exposures can help combat this avoidance response.
• Lock emotional regulation: include the establishment of routines and / or the search for social support.

This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to Cabin syndrome: what it is, symptoms, causes and treatment, we recommend that you enter our category of Clinical psychology.

1. American Psychiatric Association (2014). DSM-5. Reference guide to the diagnostic criteria of the DSM-5-Breviary. Madrid: Editorial Médica Panamericana.
2. World Health Organization (WHO) (2018) International Classification of Diseases, 11th revision. Recovered from https://icd.who.int/es

• The Mental Health Bridge Valladolid (2020) II Guide for mental health professionals in the field of the "new normal". Recovered from https://copcantabria.es/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/II-Gui%CC%81a-para-profesionales-de-la-salud-mental-1.pdf