Most of us use elevators because they’re much faster and more convenient than taking the stairs. Many of us also dislike elevators because they take too long, fellow passengers smell bad, and you feel squished in like sardines.
But for some people, using an elevator can also be the source of extreme terror and anxiety. While there’s no official clinical name for it, but a fear of elevators is a very real fear for a lot of people.
Individuals with claustrophobia have a fear of small, tight spaces, such as elevators. Being in these spaces can make them feel like the walls are closing in, and may cause them to have a panic attack.
Others are scared the elevator will stop and they will become trapped for hours or days. People with agoraphobia are scared of being in a situation where there is not an easy way to escape, which gives them the feeling of being trapped. People with this phobia will often avoid elevators because there is no easy way to escape from them.
Some of the main reasons why someone can develop a fear of elevators include:
You may have been traumatized by an incident where you were trapped in an elevator that got stuck.
You may have once felt squished inside an overcrowded elevator, suddenly developing an overwhelming urge to escape and couldn’t get out when you wanted.
You may have once been trapped in a space, and felt very frightened even traumatized by the experience.
Because elevators are sometimes portrayed in a negative manner by the media where a character gets trapped inside an elevator you may anticipate that this could happen to you.
Over-anxious and cautious parents with their own phobia of elevators could have instilled this fear in you.