The chance that someone will have claustrophobia at one point in their life is only 4%, and Dr. Schneier says people usually experience it for long periods of time, and then they get over it. It's much more common for people to have mild claustrophobic fears that never reach the level of a disorder, and up to 22% of women and 8% of men will experience those, he says. "As is true for most phobias, the rate in women is generally double or more the rate in men," he says. In order for someone to be diagnosed with claustrophobia, they have to have excessive and marked fears or anxieties about being in closed spaces that persist for at least six months, and lead to avoidance of those places or activities, Dr. Schneier says. If you feel like that's you, and your symptoms interfere with your life, you should seek treatment from a therapist or psychiatrist who specializes in phobias.