Understanding the Fear of Elevators

As a more modern invention, it has no official Greek "phobia" name; however, the fear of elevators is relatively common. According to the National Elevator Industry, Inc., elevators provide 18 billion passenger trips in the U.S. each year with millions of passengers repeatedly arriving safely at their destination. Yet, many people feel at least a slight nervousness when contemplating an elevator ride.

In some people, the fear of elevators is triggered by an existing phobia, but the fear often appears alone. Like any phobia, the fear of elevators ranges from mild to severe.

Phobias Related to Elevators

Elevators represent a number of situations that are common phobias such as claustrophobia (fear of small spaces), acrophobia (fear of heights), cleithrophobia (fear of being trapped). basophobia (fear of falling), and agoraphobia (fear of public or crowded spaces, where it would be difficult to get help or escape if need be.

Claustrophobia

Claustrophobia is defined as the persistent fear of enclosed spaces such as tunnels, closets, and even the backseat of a car. As a relatively small and confined box, it is easy to see how an elevator could cause a claustrophobic reaction.

Cleithrophobia

Cleithrophobia is a fear of being trapped or locked into a room or space, such as a bathroom, a deep hole, an underground tunnel, or tight-fitting restraints. Think about when the restraint bar fits snugly over you on a roller coaster. The inability to escape is what is terrifying to the person with cleithrophobia, more than it being a small space in the case of claustrophobia. If you worry about being trapped in an elevator, a very rare occurrence, the thought alone could trigger intense fear.

Acrophobia

"Acro" comes from the Greek word meaning high. This root word often conjures up imagery of people flying through the air on a trapeze performing death-defying aerial acrobatics. Acrophobia is an intense fear of heights and can make it difficult for people to climb ladders, ride roller coasters, or be anywhere near the top of tall buildings. Elevators can be an anxiety-provoking situation for those who have a fear of heights, especially in tall buildings and skyscrapers.

Basophobia

Fear of falling is another phobia that could aggravate a fear of elevators. Fear of falling can be simply a fear of falling while walking, riding a bike, stepping off a curb, going down a flight of stairs, etc., and doesn't have to be related to great heights. There is a concern for the consequences of the fall, such as injury, death, and even embarrassment. People may imagine an elevator malfunctioning and plunging to the bottom of the elevator shaft, a type of freefall that would be terrifying and cause injury or death.

Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is the fear of being trapped in a situation in which escape would be difficult or impossible, with particular concern about having severe anxiety or a panic attack. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, (fifth edition, text revision) those with agoraphobia typically avoid “clusters” of related situations, like standing in line, being in crowds, open spaces, enclosed spaces (shops, theaters), public transportation, or leaving the home alone. An elevator is often perceived as a place that encompasses several of these scenarios wrapped into one, and would presumably be difficult to escape if a panic attack ensued, and it is not unusual for people with agoraphobia to avoid elevators.

Previous Experiences

Many phobias can be traced to a previous experience that caused fright. Those who have been stuck in an elevator, even briefly, may be more likely to develop an elevator phobia. You may have experienced a ride that was more turbulent than other times, or it came to a sudden stop at your floor that made you feel uneasy. Maybe the elevator in your building moves too quickly or more slowly than you are comfortable with. However, the personal experience need not have happened to you for a phobia to develop.

Elevators are prominently featured in action movies and horror films filled with terrifying scenes of people being trapped for long periods, free falling, and being kidnapped, assaulted, or murdered, and so on. This imagery can influence the subconscious or conscious thoughts that run through your mind when waiting for your elevator to arrive.

On the rare occasion that injuries do occur in real life, it is usually because of a failure to maintain and service the elevator properly. But sometimes the passenger takes matters into their own hands when they are stuck in an elevator leading to a preventable injury. These tragic stories are constantly rebroadcast for days in the media, and the video may circulate online for years.

The Truth About Elevator Safety

Like anything else in life, riding an elevator carries a risk, albeit small. That's why the Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation was put into place to educate children and adults about elevators and escalators, and how to ride them safely.

The origins of elevator safety date back to 1853 when Elisha Otis revolutionized the elevator industry by implementing a safety brake system that engages in the event of a hoist rope failure. Since then, technological advancements and industry regulations have vastly increased the safety of elevators, and they are now considered the safest mode of vertical transportation when used properly.

Modern Safety Features

• Multiple Cables: Today, elevators are supported by multiple cables, each of which is strong enough to carry more than the weight of a fully loaded elevator car.
• Emergency Brake System: Even if all of the cables snapped, the emergency brake and speed governer would prevent it from free falling.
• Levels: Leveling mechanisms are in place to prevent the elevator doors from opening while the car is between floors. The doors should only open when the elevator car is firmly settled in place at the landing. This design prevents the doors from opening in between floors tempting you to crawl out instead of waiting for help. It also makes it virtually impossible for you to fall down the shaft in the space between the elevator car and the outer doors.
• Emergency Assistance: Elevator cars have emergency systems in place such as a phone, alarm bells, and intercoms, allowing passengers to call for help in the rare event the elevator gets stuck. If there is a power outage while you are in an elevator, its momentum should continue to the next floor in the direction it was heading. It will stop and the doors will open to let passengers out, but it will no longer operate while the power is out. However, if you end up stuck in the elevator and the power is out, the emergency systems should all remain working so you can call for help.
• Ventilation: Rest assured, elevators are not airtight, and stuck passengers are in no danger of running out of air. There are specific ventilation requirements, although it could get a little stuffy if there are a lot of people on board.
• Optional Features: Some modern elevator cars are designated "safe rooms." One innovative company has proposed an air purifying system for elevators to remove toxic gas or smoke from the elevator car and replace it with breathable air, making it the safest place to be in some circumstances.

Elevator Accidents Do Occur

Elevator accidents do occasionally occur. According to ConsumerWatch.com, there are less than 30 deaths per year but over 10,000 injuries related to elevators annually. (Compare this to more than 45,000 deaths in motor vehicle accidents, and 5.4 million injuries per year.) The majority of these elevator incidents occur during the installation or servicing of an elevator and it is considered an occupational hazard for elevator construction and maintenance workers.

For the rest of the elevator passengers of the world, there is still a small risk. Elevators do get stuck now and then, and in very rare circumstances, passengers have been trapped for more than a day. Other than hungry, thirsty, inconvenienced, and a bit bored, the passengers are usually just fine.

Even more rarely, something goes catastrophically wrong with an elevator. In 2011, for example, two women died two weeks apart on opposite sides of the country. The accident in California occurred when a woman attempted to climb out of the elevator when the doors opened after it stopped between floors, and the elevator started moving again when she was halfway out. Although investigated, the cause of this elevator malfunction was never fully determined.

The accident in New York City occurred as an employee stepped onto an elevator and it abruptly accelerated upward with the doors still open. The force of the rising elevator brought the employee to her knees, and she was not fully in the elevator as it rose, causing her to be fatally injured. The cause of this incident was clearly due to the maintenance workers who did not properly reconnect a safety system.

Safety Tips

While it is impossible to remove all theoretical risks from any machine, the Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation provides a list of safety tips for riders to follow. Among the advice:

• Watch your step. Be sure the elevator car is level with the floor of the hallway before taking a step to avoid tripping.
• Do not try to stop a closing door with your hands. Use the "Door Open" button to hold the doors for passengers who are still getting on board rather than attempting to push the doors open.
• Keep all carry-on items and clothing clear of the doors.
• If the doors do not open, and you are inside the elevator, push the alarm and/or use the phone to call the operator, and wait for rescue. Do not try to open the doors or find a different way to climb out.
• Be prepared. Always have your cell phone with you and a bottle of water.
• Take the stairs if there is a fire in the building.

Treatment Options

For many people, learning the safety rules and becoming familiar with proper elevator operation is enough to curb a mild fear. If your fear is more severe or persistent, however, professional assistance may be required. Elevator phobias have caused people to turn down good jobs on high floors, avoid visiting loved ones in high-rise hospitals, or push themselves to ascend dozens of flights of stairs.

A mental health professional may use a technique called exposure therapy using relaxation skills and systematic desensitization to help you overcome your fear of elevators and other contributing phobias.

Keep in mind that the more you avoid an elevator (or any feared situation), the more you reinforce your fear. It may take several baby steps, a bit of hard work, and the help of a professional, but you can successfully extinguish this fear and prevent it from negatively affecting your life.