Fear of elevators – Elevatorphobia

March 31, 2021

Multi-storey buildings and skyscrapers have long become a part of our modern world. Having an elevator in them made life much easier for many of us. Parents with small children, employees of companies whose offices are located on high floors, elderly people - for all of them, the passenger elevator has become an indispensable device.

But still, for some people, its device causes real fear. Can what is happening be called a phobia? Of course, but you won’t find such a diagnosis in modern medical reference books. Fear of elevators is considered one of the manifestations of claustrophobia, known to many - the fear of enclosed spaces.

Today in society this fear is called elevator phobia.

People who are afraid of elevators will always choose the stairs instead. However, despite all the benefits that walking provides, it is quite time-consuming, energy-consuming, and sometimes simply unrealistic (imagine - you have to climb to one of the top floors of a high-rise building!). Just the thought of having to cross the threshold of an open elevator door can cause people to have a real panic attack.

How to overcome your fear of elevators on your own?

You can cope with your fears using the following ways:

try to take the elevator at least one floor every day;
before entering the lift, calm down and smile;
while in the booth, breathe deeply and evenly;
while riding in an elevator, talking to someone on the phone;
always carry a flashlight with you;
going up in an elevator with a group of people.

People who are afraid of lifts need to know that their fears have nothing to do with reality. Modern elevators have safety systems that are instantly activated during a fall, and before installation and operation, all mechanisms are thoroughly checked. The doors of many lifts are equipped with sensors and sensors, so they will not close until all passengers have exited. In case of a stop, the elevator switches to autonomous power supply and the light in the cabin does not go out.

Symptoms of elevatorphobia:

cardiopalmus;
increased sweating;
trembling in the limbs;
increased blood pressure;
dyspnea;
dizziness;
fainting.

Don't look for excuses for your fears. To overcome a phobia and cope with attacks of fear, you need to figure it out and honestly answer yourself - what is the reason for this fear?

What could be the trigger that leads to the formation of this fear in a person?

Treatment of claustrophobia

Regular conversations with an experienced specialist will help you cope with fears

How best to get rid of claustrophobia depends on the severity of psychopathology. For some people, it is enough to simply look at themselves from the outside and set a vector for further movement in order to leave the problem behind forever.

In difficult cases, a long course of psychotherapy will be required. Methods are selected according to the reasons for fear.

In addition, any phobic disorder depletes the nervous system and goes hand in hand with neurosis. Therefore, a person will need either medication or mastering relaxation techniques. If the nervous system remains constantly in tension, any method of treating a phobia is doomed to failure. The fact is that in a state of neurosis or severe stress, a person is not capable of critical thinking and changing his way of thinking, which could allow him to overcome fear forever. In this regard, it is recommended to trust a qualified psychotherapist in matters of treatment.

Psychotherapy

How to deal with claustrophobia depends on the reasons for its development. This also determines the methods of psychotherapy for successfully defeating fear. So, in case of conflicts with parents and childhood traumas, a person needs to work through the resentment, and here Gestalt therapy comes to the rescue.

Cognitive behavioral psychotherapy is the “gold standard” for treating phobias. It allows you to change your attitude towards the subject of fear or the situation in which the attack begins.

Another effective treatment method is gradual rapprochement with the object of fear. For example, if a person is afraid of the elevator, sooner or later he will have to enter the elevator and go up to the top floor. First, the situation is simulated in the psychotherapist's office and thoroughly discussed. Then the patient, together with the doctor, simply stands in front of the open elevator, and after a few more sessions, he goes up to the desired floor with the psychotherapist. When the patient is ready, he will have to make the trip himself to finally overcome the phobia.

Medications

People who have gotten rid of claustrophobia often benefit from medication in the initial stages. However, medications do not cure a phobia, but only relieve nervous tension and anxiety, allowing you to effectively interact with a psychotherapist.

Daytime tranquilizers and sedatives may be used to treat claustrophobia. The former eliminate anxiety, the latter normalize sleep and promote restoration of the nervous system.

Self help

Breathing exercises will teach you to keep your emotions under control during future attacks

Having figured out what the fear of enclosed spaces is called, you should know how you can get rid of this fear on your own.

First of all, you need to master relaxation techniques - breathing exercises, yoga, meditation. This is necessary in order to prepare your psyche for a change in the perception of enclosed spaces.

Then you should begin to gradually become closer to fear. The same scheme applies here as when traveling in an elevator with a psychotherapist - first you just need to stand at the door, then enter the elevator and immediately get out, then go up just one floor, etc. You can enlist the support of family and friends. If you feel increased anxiety, it is recommended to do breathing exercises.

Positive affirmations are quite successful in relieving mild forms of claustrophobia.

Causes of phobia

1 . Psychotraumatic experience. Often fear appears after a person has already been in an unpleasant situation involving an elevator. Once upon a time he was already stuck in it or heard frightening stories on this topic from family and friends. Or, while using the elevator, he felt ill for various reasons, and he experienced psychological stress.
2 . Claustrophobia (fear of closed spaces). An elevator is most often a small closed cabin, and therefore a person may really be afraid that it will be impossible to get out of the elevator if necessary.
3 . Fear of falling and crashing in an elevator shaft . This fear is most often the result of developed imagination and watching thrillers. (“thanks” to the cinema). But we should remember that our lives are not like movies, and in reality, cable breaks happen extremely rarely, since all equipment is manufactured according to modern safety standards and undergoes mandatory checks before use. Agree that today it has become much more dangerous to use transport or even cross the street incorrectly as a pedestrian.
4 . The need to be close to strangers in small spaces. If you are an anxious and suspicious person, then questions may arise in your head: if you get stuck, what can you expect from other passengers? The fear of the unknown is triggered - it’s scary to ride in an elevator with a stranger and not know what’s on his mind.
5 . Loneliness. To fall into a trap, to be left alone in the dark - at such moments a person experiences a subconscious fear of loneliness. He is afraid to remain face to face with his negative emotions and experiences.

My child is afraid to ride in an elevator, what should I do?

Parents whose children are between the ages of 3 and 7 often face a huge number of fears in their children. Children have different fears. Some kids are completely afraid of almost everything. Also, fear of elevators is very popular nowadays. Many parents will decide to simply ignore this fear and move around without the help of an elevator. But what should mothers do who have several children and live starting from the 5th floor? Carrying a stroller and bags is difficult and inconvenient. Therefore, the child’s fear must be fought. What to do if a child is afraid to ride in an elevator?

How to overcome childhood fears?

At this age, when children are susceptible to fears, they are also susceptible to worries. Fears, including the fear of the elevator, will arouse these negative experiences in the child. Under no circumstances try to convince your child with words that his fear is unimportant. For him it is quite real, and your words are abstract.

In addition, you cannot appeal to the child’s shame, as many parents do. Very often you can hear “You are already an adult to be afraid of such nonsense!” Such an attitude towards a child will only strengthen his fear. Moreover, to fear will be added shame for having such fear. The result is no positive progress in getting rid of childhood fear.

What should parents do? How can they help a child cope with fear? First of all, you should talk to your child, find out where his fear comes from. Perhaps he is afraid of the noise of the elevator or the feeling of movement itself. After such a conversation, you will be able to determine the reason for your fear of the elevator. Based on this, explain to your child that the elevator is not scary, but fun. You can organize a mini-scene with toys, showing them in such a way that they are not afraid of the elevator and the baby should not be afraid.

The main thing is to translate everything into a game form. Together with your child, compose a funny song about an elevator. You can also draw a whole story about how the elevator helps people. Explain to your child how the elevator is constructed, why it makes so much noise, and how the doors open and close. Tell us about the advantages of the elevator, and together look at the encyclopedia with pictures dedicated to this device.

As practice shows, most children adopt the fears of their parents that they received in childhood. Adults have residual feelings of fear and are now reluctant to use the device or technology. Children feel this and project it onto themselves. Therefore, parents should look for the roots of children's fears in their childhood.

What to do if you discover that you have elevator phobia?

1. There is no need to panic and immediately diagnose yourself (leave this to a specialist).
2. You need to understand that this is not a one-time incident or a consequence of the thriller you watched the day before. For some, fear goes away after they analyze and give a rational explanation for the appearance of this fear. Others need more time to restore their health. But you need to remember that modern specialists are able to cure all phobias. Only by not paying enough attention to your fears can you develop even more mental disorders.

“What if the elevator gets stuck”: 6 ways to help your child overcome anxiety

Many children are afraid and afraid of something. This is fine. But sometimes fear develops into anxiety, which prevents you from living a peaceful life: going to school, communicating with friends, going out into nature and relaxing. How to help a child in such a situation is explained in the blog of the MYTH publishing house.

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Set a "worry time"

If your child seems to be constantly stressed about something, encourage him to set aside a special time (this could be as little as half an hour a day) to discuss his feelings. It is better that the child is not hungry or tired at this moment. Also, don't discuss your worries before bed, as this can make it difficult to fall asleep.

So that the child is not afraid to forget everything that tormented him during the day, make a special notebook for anxious thoughts - let it lie in a visible place so that it is easy to write in it at the right time. Or organize an impromptu mailbox for these purposes. By “unloading” his fears in this way, the child will gradually learn to concentrate less on them.

Don't devalue

The natural reaction when we hear another person complaining is to tell him: “Don’t worry!” But more often than not, this only devalues the child’s experiences and makes him think even more about the problem. Your task is not to calm down, but to help you better control your emotions.

Distract

Once you have been as empathetic as possible, try to distract your child from excessive anxiety until it is “worry time.” You can do this in a variety of ways: count cars of a certain color together, make words from the inscriptions on shop windows, offer to cook something together. Physical activity helps a lot: hide and seek, catch-up, trampolining.

How is liftophobia treated?

A person can overcome his fears himself using the following methods:

Study the instructions and safety rules when using elevators. Remember or write down the telephone number of the emergency service or the dispatcher on duty, get acquainted with the structure of the elevator shafts. Try to have a flashlight and a mobile phone with you.
While in the booth, remember about breathing exercises. Breathe rhythmically, pay attention to the number of inhalations and exhalations. This will restore your clarity of thinking and distract you from the reasons that cause fear.
Gradually increase the time you spend in the elevator. First, take the elevator 2-3 floors, and the rest of the distance take the stairs. Day by day, increase the elevator ride by at least one floor, and reduce the number of flights of stairs you walk.
Practice elevator rides in the company of several people or, conversely, alone. If you are afraid of being alone in a confined space, start talking to someone on your cell phone or enter a lift cabin with other people. Otherwise, let strangers go ahead and wait until the lift is free.
Relax more often. Try to rest and eat properly, avoid stressful situations, do yoga, meditate.

What is the fear of elevators called?

In medicine there is no special term that would correspond to this phobia. The fear of elevators is similar to the fear of enclosed spaces. This is a kind of manifestation of claustrophobia. Fear of lifts can be called elevator phobia.

People who are afraid of elevators try to go up or down only by stairs. They avoid mechanical or electrical lifts at all costs. When they see the elevator, they begin to panic. Such a phobia can lead to poor health, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, and even fainting.