Elevator Phobia: Causes And Symptoms
Fear is a natural human response that helps you avoid dangers. The result is that people are often scared in new situations that are beyond their control. However, completely mundane things can also be a source of fear for some people. An example of this is elevator phobia.
They may have learned to be scared or it may be due to a traumatic experience. If you do not process this experience properly, your fears can become irrational and turn into a pure phobia.
This very common, modern device is a source of anxiety in many people. The elevator’s small and enclosed space makes most people feel at least a little bit claustrophobic. But it is downright terrifying to others. Their intense fears affect their daily lives because they are unable to walk into an elevator.
Symptoms of elevator phobia
Common symptoms of any phobia are sweating and shaking, headaches, nausea, dizziness, palpitations, hyperventilation or even vomiting. In order for a psychologist to officially diagnose you with a phobia, you must have had these symptoms for at least six months. Furthermore, you must have an overwhelming fear of the thing in question.
A unique aspect of elevator phobia is that, although it is treated as a general phobia, it is a combination of two types: claustrophobia and acrophobia. The first is an irrational fear of confined spaces and limited dimensions. Acrophobia, on the other hand, is the fear of heights.
Elevators then fit exactly both phobias, though many are more anxious about either one or the other. People with elevator phobia experience all the symptoms of anxiety when they think of having to go into an elevator or going up to the top floor of a building.
What causes elevator phobia?
Overall, it is traumatic experiences related to elevators that are the cause of this phobia. Not surprisingly, a person is more likely to develop an elevator phobia if they have been trapped in one for an extended period of time.
It is possible to develop elevator phobia if a person close to you has had a traumatic experience and you develop an intense anxiety as a result.
As with other phobias, one can also inherit one’s fears. In other words , you may have elevator phobia because your parents all your life have told you that elevators are very dangerous. Another possibility is that there is no clear cause for your phobia.
If you have an anxiety disorder and happen to have a violent anxiety reaction in an elevator, you could develop a phobia. After all, anxiety is connected to something. The fact that you had a reaction in an elevator will make you feel bad about having to get into one again.
Is there a cure?
If your phobia is mild, it may be enough to do some breathing and relaxation exercises before going into an elevator. It is important that you do not completely avoid elevators or try to get out when you are inside one. Sudden or compulsive behavior in and around elevators can make your phobia worse.
Try riding in an elevator with someone you trust to make you feel safer and more secure. This person will also be there to help if you start to feel unwell or need help. Another benefit of riding an elevator with a friend is that they can distract you from your anxiety.
If you try these things but they do not work, you should seek professional help for proper psychological treatment. There are three common strategies for dealing with phobias: cognitive restructuring, relaxation, and systematic desensitization.
The first tries to modify the negative thoughts that make it impossible to have a normal relationship with the elevator. For example, you can get information about how many serious accidents happen in elevators. It can also be helpful to find out the likelihood of getting stuck in one.
Relaxation exercises focus on lowering the anxiety symptoms before and during the ride in the elevator. Systematic desensitization involves gradually exposing the person to what they fear.
