As you know, human fears are often quite irrational, and not only scientists understand this, but also ordinary people, but this does not prevent them from being scared at all. One such phobia is the fear of getting stuck in an elevator. Such people will never use this aid to climb to the top floor, but will always use the stairs. This causes a lot of inconvenience to those who live on the upper floors of a multi-storey building or are forced to climb to a height due to work. It is exactly what the fear of elevators phobia is that will be discussed in this article, and we will also describe ways to overcome it.
Concept
It is impossible not to recognize the fact that the appearance of an ordinary passenger elevator has made life much easier for a person, especially considering the fact that multi-storey buildings are commonplace. However, their appearance also had negative qualities - people began to show fear of elevators. The features of their operation and structure are a mystery to many and evoke fear and horror. In fact, similar symptoms are endowedphobias, however, this fear has not yet been identified as an independent diagnosis. But despite this, if you are wondering what the phobia of fear of elevators is called, then most ordinary people and doctors will say: elevator phobia.
And if often a person manages to avoid elevators, preferring to climb stairs, then in some cases he still has to expose himself to his fear. It should be remembered that a phobia is always accompanied by sufficiently strong negative emotions, which in no case should be suppressed, since they can adversely affect the mental state. That is why, in order to overcome the fear of elevators, you should find out the triggers that cause deterioration in your condition and try to overcome them.
Symptomatics
Because this phobia is irrational, the elevator ride itself cannot cause physical harm. All the manifested symptoms of this fear manifest themselves at the vegetative level. The following symptoms will be fully felt:
- Severe dizziness.
- Suffocation.
- Increased heartbeat.
- Severe flushing of the face and tremors in the arms and legs.
Things could end up being much more serious. Liftophobia, as the fear of elevators is called, can eventually lead to a panic attack or loss of consciousness.
Reasons
The manifestation of liftophobia can develop for completely different reasons. The main thing is on timeto find out what exactly catches up on a person with fear and leads to a panic attack:
- Claustrophobia - Fear of elevators may be just one of the manifestations of claustrophobia, that is, the fear of enclosed spaces. The elevator is a closed cabin, so there may be a fear that it will not be possible to get out of it if necessary.
- Fear of a broken cable - numerous adventure films now and then show how the cable holding the cabin breaks when the hero rides in the elevator. However, it should be remembered that life is not a movie at all, so in practice, cable breaks happen very rarely, since all equipment is manufactured according to existing safety procedures and undergoes mandatory checks before use.
- Fear of being left without light. It usually appears only in those who have already been stuck in a dark room without light, and therefore are afraid to be in a similar situation again. Now elevators are equipped in such a way that in case of a breakdown, the light still remains.
- Fear of being squeezed by an automatic elevator door is also common among those who have been squeezed in public elevators. However, special sensors are now being inserted into elevators to prevent such cases from occurring.
- Besides this, some people are afraid that if they enter the elevator with strangers, they may be the victim of an attack.
Methods of struggle
Before you start trying to deal with your own phobia, you should determine its root cause. If it starts to showbecause the unpleasant situation with the elevator has already occurred, it is best to contact a specialist directly.
Therapy
Now therapy is the most popular way to deal with phobias, including the fear of elevators. The effect of it can be obtained quickly and quite effective. It is best to go directly to a cognitive-behavioral therapist who has a range of professional techniques. Using this knowledge, a person begins to realize the fact that there are no real threats to his life and he alth, and therefore gradually ceases to be afraid.
Hypnosis
When a person cannot understand on his own what exactly is hidden in the depths of his fears, then you should contact a hypnotherapist. Such a specialist works directly with the subconscious, so that he can "dig up" information that will allow him to find out what exactly provoked the phobia, as well as ways to overcome it.
Self-healing
If the symptoms of a phobia are mild enough, then you can try to deal with your own fears on your own. Quite often it becomes clear that an attempt to completely abandon the elevator is just an attempt to somehow control one's own life and the anxiety that exists in it. You should simply monitor your condition and behavior well, because fears can often be the consequences of chronic stress or a difficult conflict situation that exists in a person’s life. Helps solve problems with relaxation techniques and deep breathing.
To start the fight against fearelevators, you should start gradual short trips. For example, take the elevator down a couple of floors, and then take the rest of the way up the stairs. Over time, such trips should be made longer. However, you should not proceed to the next stage if all fears have not completely disappeared at the previous one. So over time it will be possible to completely get rid of the phobia.
Tips
If you are trying to understand the current situation and find out what kind of phobia the fear of elevators is exactly, then you do not need to diagnose it in yourself immediately after the appearance of fear. The first step is to understand whether such a case is a one-time occurrence, since it is possible that intuition simply warns of the presence of danger at that very moment. Understand what exactly scares you and where this fear came from.
Also, do not drink sedatives. If you understand that you cannot pull yourself together on your own, then it is best to contact a specialist, and not poison yourself with synthetic substances. It is best to learn special breathing techniques and start counting your inhalations and exhalations, this helps the body to take its mind off the panic and bring clarity to your thoughts.
Conclusion
At the moment, more and more phobias are starting to appear. They begin to appear in urban residents due to the high rate of urbanization, and therefore do not appear at all in rural residents. Liftophobia also belongs to such irrational phobias. Of course, walking up the stairs is good forhe alth and a beautiful figure, but it takes a lot of time and effort. If you decide to get rid of such phobias, then you should make an appointment with a specialist or be like group therapy, during which people discuss their own fears.
