Phobia For Elevators: Causes And Symptoms

Fear is a natural human response that helps you avoid dangers. As a result, people often become frightened in new situations that are beyond their control. But boring, everyday things can also be a source of fear for some. They may have learned to be afraid of others, or due to a traumatic personal experience. If you do not process this experience properly, your fears can become irrational and turn into an actual phobia. An example of this is the phobia of elevators.

This common space and modern device is a source of anxiety for many. The small, enclosed space in an elevator can make most people feel a certain degree of claustrophobia, but they are really terrible for others. Their intense fears affect their daily lives because they are unable to enter an elevator.

The symptoms of phobia of elevators

The common symptoms of any phobia are sweating, trembling, headache, nausea, dizziness, increased heart rate, hyperventilation, or even vomiting. In order for a psychologist to officially diagnose you with a phobia, you must have experienced these symptoms for at least six months. You must also 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 actually a combination of two types: claustrophobia and acrophobia. The first involves an irrational fear of enclosed areas and limited dimensions. Acrophobia, in turn, is a fear of heights.

Elevators tend to fit into both phobias, although many people are more afraid of either one or the other. People with a phobia of elevators experience all the symptoms of anxiety when they think of going into an elevator or having to go to the highest floor of a building.

What causes a phobia of elevators?

Traumatic experiences related to elevators usually cause this phobia. Not surprisingly, an individual is more likely to develop an elevator phobia if they have been locked inside an elevator for an extended period of time. It is also possible to develop a phobia of lifts if some of your loved ones have had a traumatic experience and you develop an intense fear as a result.

Just like with other phobias, you can also inherit your fears. In other words , you may have a phobia of elevators because your parents your whole 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 you experience intense symptoms of anxiety in an elevator, you may develop a phobia. After all, anxiety works by association. The fact that you have had symptoms in an elevator that makes you feel anxious about going into one again.

Is there a cure?

If your phobia is mild, doing some breathing and relaxation exercises before entering the elevator may be enough. It is important not to avoid lifts completely or try to escape when you are in one. Sudden or compulsive behavior in and around elevators can make your phobia worse.

To feel safer, you can try taking the elevator with someone you trust. This person will also be there to help you if you start to feel unwell or need help. The other benefit of taking the elevator with a friend is that they can distract you from your fear.

If you try these steps but they do not work, you should seek professional help for appropriate psychological treatment. There are three common strategies for addressing phobias: cognitive reconstructions, relaxation, and systematic desensitization.

The first one tries to change the perceptions or the negative thoughts that make it impossible for you to have a normal relationship with the elevator. You can get information about how many serious accidents happen in elevators, for example. Searching for the likelihood of getting stuck in an elevator can also be helpful.

Relaxation exercises focus on alleviating the anxiety symptoms before and during exposure to lifts. Systematic desensitization involves gradually exposing the individual to what they fear.