Fear of elevators is a common phobia, often related to claustrophobia or a fear of enclosed spaces. Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most common treatment, which involves facing fears and changing thought patterns. Support groups may be available in areas with tall buildings. Therapy may involve visualizing and gradually facing fears until taking an elevator no longer causes anxiety.
Fear of elevators is actually one of the most common phobias experienced today. It can be related to another fear or phobia, such as claustrophobia, or a fear of enclosed spaces. When combined with these other conditions, fear of elevators is very common and usually treated successfully.
There are many aspects of elevator riding that can induce fear in sufferers. Some may be afraid of enclosed space. Others may be terrified of being that high. Still others are afraid to be around other people. Thus, fear of elevators often has little to do with the elevator itself and much to do with aspects of the entire experience.
To combat the fear of elevators, sufferers generally have to make an effort to face their fears. Depending on how strong the phobia is, a therapist may be needed and intensive counseling may be encouraged. The most common treatment for fear of elevators is cognitive behavioral therapy. This combines training the thoughts patients have and forcing them to learn new responses to those thoughts in order to change the brain’s natural patterns.
Because so many people are afraid of elevators, there may be support groups in some areas. These are more common in cities with many tall buildings where it is almost impossible to avoid taking an elevator in everyday life. In these places, elevator phobia can be a debilitating condition that inhibits daily activities.
Therapy may include having patients visualize riding in an elevator and imagining aspects they find frightening. So they may be required to dive into the part that scares them the most, just on a smaller scale. For example, someone who has a fear of heights in an elevator may start by climbing a ladder over and over again until it’s easy to accomplish and causes little or no anxiety. After that, they move on to a greater height, like climbing a tree.
As patients experience ever greater levels, their fear may diminish. Finally, they will be able to enter an elevator. Sometimes just getting into them is a start, and other times they’ll be asked to get on some flights. This will likely still cause anxiety the first few times, but they may use tactics that have worked when smaller goals are achieved. Eventually, after many attempts, taking an elevator may no longer cause anxiety.
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