Elevator Phobia: Symptoms, Causes And How To Deal With It
The fear of feeling trapped inside a small space can appear at any time in our lives. However, when this fear is exaggerated and prevents us from developing our daily lives normally, we may find ourselves facing a phobia. This is what happens with elevator phobia
Throughout this article we will describe what this type of specific phobia consists of, as well as what its symptoms and causes are and what the person who suffers from it can do to manage the discomfort it causes.
Elevator phobia manifests itself as an exacerbated, irrational and uncontrollable fear of this type of machinery. However, although 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 claustrophobia. acrophobia.
Claustrophobia consists of an irrational fear of closed or limited spaces or enclosures while acrophobia is the excessive fear of heights.
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 symptoms of anxiety the moment they get on an elevator, or even when they know that they are going to get on, it is a fear typical of claustrophobia; due to the small space in which the person is located.
However, when this irrational fear appears when thinking that you are reaching a certain height, The basis of the fear of elevators is 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.
What symptoms are experienced?
Whatever the basis or origin of elevator phobia, people who suffer from it tend to experience an 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 types of behaviors, acts and behaviors aimed at avoiding the feared situation or escaping from it as soon as possible.
Because these devices are found practically everywhere, elevator phobia can be very annoying and, at times, highly disabling, significantly interfering with the person’s daily life. However, as we will see, There are a series of guidelines that can be followed to better tolerate these anxiety-filled situations or, if it is a big problem, very effective psychological treatments.
Since it is an irrational fear of a specific object or situation, Elevator phobia 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 behavioral symptoms.
Because it is an anxious symptomatology, upon 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 hyperactivity of the autonomic nervous system and can generate the following effects:
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 cause physical symptoms and also enhance them when they appear since the person cannot get these ideas out of their head
These cognitive symptoms include:
3. Behavioral symptoms
The third group of symptoms is the one that includes all the behaviors or behavioral patterns that appear in response to the phobic stimulus. These behaviors have the goal of avoiding the feared situation (avoidance behaviors) or 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 taking 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 opening button
What is the cause?
Trying to determine the specific origin of phobias can be an extremely difficult task. complicated, since in many cases There is no single triggering factor 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 genetic predisposition of the person, together with the presence of a traumatic event or situation related in some way to elevators, will most likely trigger the appearance of said 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 increased feelings of anxiety. Some of these guidelines are the following:
Are there psychological treatments?
In cases in which none of the above guidelines work and the fear is highly disabling or distressing, psychological treatment for this phobia can be initiated. 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.
