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Why do people have elevator phobia? These are the symptoms

2022-08-23 23:40:12Lifestyle SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Why do people have elevator phobia? These are the symptoms
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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 life normally, we may find ourselves facing a phobia. This is what happens with elevator phobia.

What is a phobia of elevators?

Elevator phobia appears as an aggravated, irrational and uncontrollable fear of this type of machinery. However, although its symptoms are the same as those of any other specific anxiety disorder, fear of elevators is not considered a phobia in itself, but is categorized within two other very common phobias: claustrophobia and acrophobia.

Claustrophobia consists of an irrational fear of closed or confined spaces, while acrophobia is an excessive fear of heights.

Once we understand these two concepts, 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 he enters the elevator, or even when he knows he is going to go up, it is a typical fear of claustrophobia; due to the reduced space in which the person is located.

However, when this irrational fear appears when you think 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, as 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, lifts or forklifts, perceiving a strong anxiety response whenever they are exposed to the possibility of must drive one of them.

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

Because these devices are found in virtually all places, elevator phobia can be very annoying and, at times, very disabling, interfering in a significant way 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, in case it is a major 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.

Most characteristic is the appearance of high levels of anxiety in people suffering 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 phobia: physical symptoms, cognitive symptoms, and behavioral symptoms.

1. Physical symptoms

Due to the fact that it is an anxious symptomatology, before the appearance of the phobic stimulus, the person usually experiences a series of changes 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.

Feeling of suffocation and shortness of breath.

Muscle tension.

Increased levels of sweating.

Headache

Stomach problems

Dizziness

Nausea or vomiting.

Interruptions 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 dual role as they come from physical symptoms and also from powers when they appear then 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 speculation.

Catastrophic images for possible scenarios or situations.

Fear of losing control.

The feeling of unreality.

3. Behavioral symptoms

The third group of symptoms is that which includes all behaviors or patterns of behavior that appear in response to the phobic stimulus. These behaviors are aimed at avoiding the feared situation (avoidance behaviors) or escape after the person has already encountered the phobic stimulus (escape behaviors).

In avoidance behaviors, the person performs all possible behaviors or actions that allow them to avoid the possibility of being faced with the stimulus. In this case, you can climb 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 whatever is necessary to get out as quickly as possible. For example, forcibly pressing the door release button.

What is the cause?

Trying to pinpoint the specific origins of phobias can be a very difficult task. complicated, since in many cases there is no single trigger for the disorder. On the contrary, the person feels a fear of elevators, but is not aware why.

However, there are theories that point to the idea that a person's genetic predisposition, coupled with the presence of a traumatic event or situation related in some way to elevators, will most likely cause the appearance of the phobia in question.

How do we face this fear?

There are a series of keys or guidelines that can help people with a strong 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 feeling of dizziness and suffocation.

Try not to engage in compulsive escape behavior such as forcing the door, as this will further increase anxiety levels.

Go with someone or ask for help if needed or we feel really bad. Someone else's company gives us more security.

Try to keep your mind occupied while traveling.

Are there psychological treatments?

In cases where none of the above functions and the fear is too incapacitating or disturbing, psychological treatment for this phobia can begin. In this intervention, psychotherapy is taught to modify or eliminate the wrong thoughts and beliefs that end up causing the rest of the symptoms.

In addition, this psychotherapy is accompanied by techniques for treating phobias such as direct exposure or systemic desensitization and relaxation training.


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