What is the Fear of Elevators? Basically, the fear of using an elevator is not an individual phobia in itself, but is instead a part of two most common phobias―claustrophobia and acrophobia.

A fear of getting inside an elevator may seem quite irrational, but then the word phobia itself means irrational fear of simple things. Continue reading... Phobias Advertisement Does the idea of stepping into an elevator cause a lump in your throat? Do you get anxious when the elevator begins to move upwards (or when it comes down)? Do you prefer taking stairs rather than taking the elevator? If your answer to any of these questions is 'yes', the chances are that you happen to be one of those millions of people out there who have a fear of elevators. While those who are not suffering from this phobia may find it funny, but those who do - have a tough time trying to cope up with the anxious moments that they experience when they step into the elevator. While 'claustrophobia' refers to the fear of closed spaces, 'acrophobia' refers to the fear of heights. A person's fear of stepping inside an elevator is most often associated with claustrophobia as the person begins to feel anxious as soon as he steps into the elevator. Other than the cramped space, this irrational fear can also be attributed to the belief that there is no escape from this place. 

While some people are scared to step into Black Diamond Force an empty elevator, for others it is an overcrowded elevator which is the reason to worry. Similarly, the sensation of being physically elevated or lowered can also strike fear in minds of people, and therefore it is associated with acrophobia. Claustrophobia As we mentioned earlier, claustrophobia is the fear of enclosed spaces wherein the person without any reason feels that there is no means of escape. It is considered to be a severe anxiety disorder with the tendency to trigger anxiety attacks. An individual who is claustrophobic doesn't just feel anxious in the elevator, but also experiences claustrophobia symptoms in rooms with closed doors and windows, small rooms, basements, crowded places, or even cars and tunnels at times. Of the various causes of this irrational fear, the size of amygdala and classical conditioning are perhaps the most prominent causes. Even though somewhere around 5-7 percent of the world population suffers from claustrophobia only a 1-2 percent of them opt for its treatment. Acrophobia While the term 'vertigo' is often used to refer to the fear of heights, it is technically incorrect. A person's irrational fear of heights is referred to as acrophobia. (Vertigo - on the other hand, is the feeling of spinning sensation that one tends to experience when he is not actually spinning.) People who suffer from acrophobia tend to experience a panic attack when they are at a considerable height. The most prominent causes of acrophobia are conditioning and traumatic experience involving heights. 

Those who suffer from acrophobia can have a tough time using an elevator - especially when it is a glass elevator, as the sensation of being elevated in a machine on which they have no control makes them go weak. How to Get Rid of this Fear? Cognitive therapy - which happens to be one of the most widely used treatment options for anxiety disorder, does come handy when the person's fear of elevators is associated with claustrophobia. At the same time, 'in vivo exposure' - wherein the person gets rid of his fears by facing them, also helps in getting rid of such fear. Modern methods which are considered helpful in this case include virtual reality therapy, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), etc. While all these methods of overcoming this fear are helpful, the easiest of them happens to be in vivo exposure wherein you just have to get rid of your fear by facing it. You can start by getting into the elevator with whom you trust or keep yourself occupied with something which will make sure that you don't get scared unnecessarily. Once you are convinced that elevators mean no harm to you and using them is a necessity, things will fall in place on their own. There is no doubt about the fact that fear is an important mechanism which helps us stay away from several hazards in life, but irrational fear, such as the fear of closed spaces or wide open spaces, is something which can handicap day-to-day life. 

Climbing 20 flights of stairs just because you think that you will get trapped in the elevator is not at all amusing, and the sooner you get rid of this fear - the better it is for you. What is an Anxiety Attack Do you get way too worried and panicked about a situation, that to others, doesn't seem threatening at all? Has this made life different for you in many ways? Do you think you could be suffering from an anxiety attack? This article will help you understand more about the situation in a much clearer and deeper way. TAGGED UNDER: Anxiety Panic Attacks Advertisement Anxiety isn't always bad! I believe that it is the anxiety and curiosity in one's life that makes one do things that wouldn't have been possible otherwise, don't you think so? However, there is a difference between being anxious in life and living a life while suffering from an anxiety attack. An Anxiety attack is a sudden episode of emotional anxiety wherein a person feels extremely panicked and anxious. This usually happens with people suffering from anxiety disorder. A normal person would get anxious if he or she feels certain kind of threat. Anxiety is nothing but our body's reaction in response to the threat perceived by the mind. But, if a person is suffering from an anxiety or panic disorder, he or she would suffer from these attacks all the time. The mind would send false alarms, leading to an unreasonable panicky and anxious behavior. Statistics reveal that almost 40 million adults in the United States of America suffer from anxiety disorder. And to add to it, almost $42 billion are spent each year for its treatment. Also known as panic attack, the person suffering from this episode would feel extremely terrified, fearful, and stressed out because he or she is sensing some threat coming. 

This mental state can also cause various physical reactions and symptoms which can actually become quite a bit to deal with on a regular basis. In fact, there are people who actually feel that they are getting a heart attack, or they are at the verge of dying. What Happens During an Anxiety Attack Almost each of us have had an anxiety attack at some point of life. However, if it is something that is disturbing your daily lifestyle and the people around you, then you sure are suffering from an anxiety attack. So, how does one feel during an anxiety attack? Well, people who have been through this, say that it is a moment that never leaves you. You feel terrified because of the fact that something is going to harm you, it feels as if you are going to lose control over things, or over others, you feel helpless, and your heart beats so fast that it seems it will come out of your chest. Due to such emotional condition, certain physical conditions like shortness of breath, nausea, trembling, sweating, hot and/or cold flashes, and even chest pain may occur. Which is why for most people, this can be more or less like the feeling of death. The duration of anxiety attacks vary from person to person. While at times, you may experience an anxiety attack for a few minutes, it can also be for as long as 30 minutes! Mentioned below are some of the most commonly observed symptoms that people observe during an episode. 

Restlessness Muscle aches Being very skeptical Inability to concentrate or focus Diarrhea Have troubles relaxing Excessive irritation Tingling sensation Dryness in the mouth The urge of, 'I wanna get out of here' What to do During an Anxiety Attack Although while going through an anxiety attack, you would feel as if you are having a heart attack... or if you are literally dying, you have to remind yourself that 'YOU ARE NOT DYING!' There are various approaches and techniques that can help you in doing this when you are suffering from an anxiety attack. These are mentioned as follows. Remind Yourself that You Are FINE To be really honest, when you are going through an anxiety attack, no one else can understand what you are going through and what are you feeling except for you. Another point to be noted is that during an anxiety attack, all you would want to do is isolate yourself in a place where you feel safe and alone.