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Elevator phobia: symptoms, causes and how to deal with it

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The fear of feeling confined within a small space can appear at any time in our lives. However, when this fear is exaggerated and prevents us from carrying out our daily lives normally, we may find ourselves facing a phobia. This is what happens with the phobia of elevators.

Throughout this article we will describe what this type of specific phobia consists of, as well as what are its symptoms and causes and what can the person who suffers do to manage the discomfort it causes.

  • Related article: "Types of Phobias: Exploring Fear Disorders"

What is elevator phobia?

Elevator phobia manifests as an exacerbated, irrational and uncontrollable fear of this type of machinery. However, despite the fact that its symptoms are the same as those of any other specific anxiety disorder, the fear of elevators is not considered a phobia per se, but is categorized within two other very common phobias: claustrophobia and acrophobia.

Claustrophobia is an irrational fear of enclosed spaces or enclosures or of limited dimensions, while the acrophobia It is the excessive fear of heights.

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Once these two concepts are understood, it is much easier for us to understand what the fear of elevators consists of. In those cases in which the person begins to experience anxiety symptoms at the moment in which he gets into an elevator, or even when he knows that he is going to go up, is a fear of the claustrophobia; due to the reduced space in which the person is located.

However, when this irrational fear appears at the thought that a certain height is being reached, the basis of the fear of elevators is in acrophobia. This fear tends to increase in those elevators that have glass walls, since the person experiences a greater sensation of being suspended in the air.

  • You may be interested in: "The 7 types of anxiety (causes and symptoms)"

What symptoms are experienced?

Whatever the basis or origin of the phobia of elevators, people who suffer from it tend to experience excessive, irrational, and uncontrollable fear of elevators, elevators or forklifts, perceiving an intense anxiety response every time they are exposed to the possibility of having to ride one of them.

The main consequence of this phobia is that the person tends to carry out all kinds of conducts, acts and behaviors aimed at avoiding the feared situation or escaping from it as soon as possible possible.

Since these devices are found in practically all places, elevator phobia can become very annoying and, at times, highly disabling, interfering significantly in the day-to-day life of the person. However, as we will see, there are a series of guidelines that can be followed to better tolerate these situations full of anxiety or, in the event that it is a big problem, very effective psychological treatments.

Since it is an irrational fear of a specific object or situation, The phobia of elevators shares symptoms with the rest of specific phobias., the most characteristic being the manifestation of high levels of anxiety in people who suffer from this phobia.

Although the number of symptoms and their intensity may vary from person to person, for this fear to be classified as phobic, the person must present some of the symptoms of the three categories associated with phobias: physical symptoms, cognitive symptoms and symptoms behavioral

1. physical symptoms

Because it is an anxious symptomatology, before the appearance of the phobic stimulus, the person usually experiences a series of alterations and changes in their body. The origin of these changes comes from a hyperactivity of the autonomic nervous system, and can generate the following effects:

  • Increased heart rate.
  • acceleration of breathing.
  • Sensation of suffocation and lack of air.
  • Muscle tension.
  • Increased sweating levels.
  • headaches.
  • gastric problems.
  • vertigos
  • Nausea or vomiting.
  • Blackouts and loss of consciousness.

2. cognitive symptoms

These physical symptoms are accompanied by a series of intrusive and irrational ideas about the supposed danger of elevators. These distorted beliefs play a double role, since they originate the physical symptoms and also potentiate them when they appear since the person cannot get these ideas out of their head.

These cognitive symptoms include:

  • Intrusive and uncontrollable beliefs and ideas about the phobic stimulus.
  • Obsessive speculations.
  • Catastrophic images about possible scenarios or situations.
  • fear of losing control.
  • Feeling of unreality.

3. behavioral symptoms

The third group of symptoms is the one that includes all the behaviors or behavior patterns that appear in response to the phobic stimulus. These behaviors aim to avoid the feared situation (avoidance behaviors) or to escape once the person has already encountered the phobic stimulus (escape behaviors).

In avoidance behaviors, the person performs all possible behaviors or acts that allow them to avoid the possibility of having to face the stimulus. In this case it could be taking the stairs instead of the elevator, regardless of the number of floors.

As for escape behaviors, these appear when the person is already inside the device, within which they will do everything necessary to get out as soon as possible. For example, compulsively pressing the door release button.

What is the cause?

Trying to determine the specific origin of phobias can be an extremely difficult task. complicated, since on many occasions there is no single trigger for the disorder. Rather, the person feels a fear of elevators but is not aware of why.

However, there are theories that point to the idea that a person's genetic predisposition, together with the presence of a traumatic event or situation related in some way to elevators will very possibly trigger the appearance of bliss phobia.

How to face this fear?

There are a series of keys or guidelines that can help people who suffer from a great fear of elevators to avoid increasing feelings of anxiety. Some of these guidelines are as follows:

  • breathe slowly, taking deep breaths and exhaling slowly in order to reduce the increase in heart rate and avoid the sensation of dizziness and suffocation.
  • Try not to perform compulsive escape behaviors such as forcing the door, since this will further increase anxiety levels.
  • Go accompanied or ask for help if necessary or we are very bad. The company of another person provides us with more security.
  • Try to keep your mind busy during the journey.

Are there psychological treatments?

In cases in which none of the previous guidelines work and the fear is highly incapacitating or distressing, psychological treatment can be started for this phobia. In this intervention, psychotherapy is used to modify or eliminate erroneous thoughts and beliefs that end up causing the rest of the symptoms.

In addition, this psychotherapy is accompanied by techniques for the treatment of phobias such as live exposure or systematic desensitization and relaxation training.

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