The who, what and why behind elevator phobia
Fear of elevators is considered a specific phobia and affects approximately 12.5 percent of the general population. People with an elevator phobia may avoid riding in elevators when possible and opting to take the stairs.
The cause of elevator phobia is largely unknown but can be due to a negative past experience such as feeling trapped in an uncomfortable situation or a past frightening mechanical failure.
It can be a learned behavior if you watch other people panic in an elevator or if you’ve seen movies or hear stories about sudden mechanical failures. Mirror neurons in the brain can make anxiety seem contagious.
Elevator phobia can also be set off by a generally overactive nervous system based on genetics or the build up of general life stressors that manifest themselves in small enclosed spaces where there is a feeling of a loss of control.
Different types of phobias that accompany an elevator phobia
There are a number of different types of anxieties that are present with an elevator phobia. In other words, it is generally not a stand alone phobia.
When riding in an elevator, people may experience a number of unpleasant physical symptoms including increased heart rate, rapid breathing, dry mouth, sweating, chills, tremors, a feeling of a loss of control, dizziness, lightheadedness, gastrointestinal distress, among other symptoms.
Symptoms can range from mild to severe. Anxiety is often triggered when the door closes or the elevator starts to move. However, anxiety can start well before entering the elevator due to anticipation about having panic symptoms while in the elevator. Severe phobic symptoms can lead to complete avoidance of elevators which, in turn, perpetuates more fear.
The phobia often stems from anxiety about a mechanical failure. This can trigger a fear of being trapped or locked in (Cleithrophobia). People may fear getting stuck between two floors. They may have recurring visions of the elevator car going into free fall (basophobia). Unlike Claustrophobia, the size of the space is not relevant to the fear.
Claustrophobia is a fear of small or enclosed spaces. This phobia often plays out in trains, tunnels and elevators. The trapped feelings are often felt to be worse when there is no window or a lack of natural light, and it is difficult to escape. People with claustrophobia may feel as though the walls are closing in on them, causing symptoms of panic.
Agoraphobia is a fear of having a panic attack in a public space and the inability to easily escape from it. It can lead to fear and avoidance of enclosed, crowded spaces like elevators among other situations and places.
Another phobia that can result in the avoidance of taking elevators is the intense fear of high floors (acrophobia). This phobia can also make it difficult for people to climb ladders, go on a rooftop, or ride roller coasters.
Sometimes people are very sensitive to the movement of the elevator causing motion sickness and nausea. A past experience with elevator sickness can set off a fear of vertigo (illyngophobia) or the fear of throwing up (emetophobia) and can hinder people from wanting to ride on elevators.
Regardless of the reasons behind the fear, people who struggle with phobias fear a loss of emotional and/or physical control. They will avoid the trigger in order to ward off the potential possibility of panic symptoms.
How an elevator phobia interferes with one’s quality of life
An elevator phobia can have a profound impact on the quality of one’s life. It can deter them from going on a job interview or taking a job if the location requires them to take an elevator. If a person is disabled and cannot take the stairs, or if the floor is too high up, they may feel limited to where they go. They might feel they have to find doctors or other professionals who are on the ground floor. People might turn down parties, gatherings, or meetings if they are in a tall building on a high floor.
There might be considerable embarrassment about having this phobia. Plus, the added pressure of hiding the fear can lead to further avoidance. The phobia can result in shame, embarrassment, irritability, hopelessness and dread.
Treatment for elevator phobia
Exposure Therapy (ERP), a type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), helps people gradually confront their fears by setting up a systematic hierarchy of potential triggers in a controlled and safe way. ERP assists people in gaining confidence to handle their anxiety symptoms and ultimately conquer their fear of riding elevators. Treatment generally takes a few weeks to a few months of weekly CBT.
A first manageable step might be to have the person hold an elevator door open with their foot. Then it might be to stand in a non moving elevator. Before ultimately riding the elevator, it can be beneficial to equip the person with some education about the modern day mechanics of the elevator and teach them about safety inspection.
Concurrently, teaching the person how to use controlled breathing, muscle relaxation, meditation and mindfulness while performing these exposure exercises is helpful in warding off panic symptoms.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can help challenge the irrational thoughts that accompany the phobia. Examples include “What if the elevator gets stuck and I run out of air?” or “I am not strong enough to manage my own nervous system reaction. I will lose all control of myself.” By identifying and challenging these types of thoughts, people can learn to better manage their emotions.
In certain cases, a medical professional might prescribe anti anxiety medication to help alleviate some of the symptoms of anxiety.
It is important to note that this phobia can be overcome with the proper intervention.
If you struggle with elevator phobia, reach out to Dr. Suzanne Feinstein at Advanced Behavioral Health. Dr. Feinstein is a Columbia University-trained Clinical Psychologist who specializes in evidence-based treatments such as CBT, Exposure Therapy and Response Prevention (ERP), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness training, visualization, and emotional regulation tools.