Advice-Anxious about going in lifts

[mnd2013]

Hello there. I hope nobody minds me asking this but I was wondering, does anyone have any advice on what I can do to overcome anxiety about traveling in lifts? I've been nervous of traveling in them since a young age. Its the fear of being stuck in them more than anything. At one point when I lived in a high rise building and got used to using them more it seemed to stop being a problem for me but in the last 5 years or so I've got rather nervous of them again. I don't normally need to use lifts in my day to day life but over the past 4 or 5 years there have been a number of instances where I've been faced with going in one and I've felt I've shown myself up in front of other people by refusing to go in it with them or just simply informing them that I don't like them(I feel stupid after I've said it). I actually had a problem with one today whilst at uni. I was walking to a class with 2 other students and they opted to take the lift. I waited with them thinking "I can do this" but when the lift arrived and a few others stepped in I took a quick look at the inside and thought "No I don't want to get in here" and went up the stairs instead. I've noticed that I'm better about going in lifts when I feel more relaxed and if I've not got too much time to think about it(eg if there is not a long wait for one to arrive) or I'm not expecting to have to go in one. If I know I'm going to have to I tend to feel more worried about it. I recently got a job as a student ambassador at my university which involves assisting visitors around campus on open days. I'm a bit concerned about what I should do if I'm faced with having to take anybody in a lift. I want to do the job in a professional manner and I don't want to come across as anxious if I'm required to step inside one. Does anyone have any advice as to what I can do to feel less nervous about these particular lifts? Would maybe having a few practice rides help?

[Grace47]

I think a few practice rides would help. Is there a counselling service available on your university campus? Since it appears that using the elevator with others is the big part of the problem not just using it in general, it may not be too difficult to get to the root of the problem and move on. I do think this issue will come up on a frequent basis on your new job. I wish you all the best and I hope you can get to the bottom of this issue and move on. Personally, I do not have a fear of elevators, so I'm not sure how useful anything I can say will be.

[mnd2013]

Hello again. Many thanks for your response and the suggestions you made. I have found in the past that once I have got used to using a particular elevator and the "routine" that it goes through I normally tend to feel less anxious about using it. I don't have a problem with physically sharing a ride with other people. That is more to do with the issue of there being less space. On the whole I worry about the elevator getting stuck between floors whilst I'm in there but I have personally never experienced or witnessed this happening.

Also, many thanks for your encouragement regarding my new job. I am really chuffed about the fact I got it and I want to be able to perform it to the best of my ability.

[Cynna]

I take elevators cause I have to. My son is special needs. I am claustrophobic at times. I try not to think about getting stuck. The ride goes pretty quick.

One day during a doc appt at the hospital, the door opened and there was a person in the elevator holding a puke pan. My son was in his wheelchair that day. I said I do not think we will fit and took the next one. I could not imagine being on there during..... There were prob sick from an underlying medical issue.

Escalators are not my thing either. I freeze and I cannot bring myself to get on the step to go down.

[Grace47]

I am also somewhat claustrophobic. When I have to have MRIs, I try to really focus on my breathing. Maybe that will help you too.

[Hannah A.]

I love being on elevators (thats what we call them in the US anyways). I think its fun. But you should definately try a few practice rides. And remember if you do get stuck (which is HIGHLY unlikely) that you will be fine. and the elevator won't free fall either, and if it does, a brake will stop it from moving. You will be fine.

[mnd2013]

Thanks to those who took the time to respond. I have had a couple of trips in a lift/elevator in the last couple of months, both in the same building which were successful. These were during a visit to a local police station when I was required to go to view an ID parade. I think at the time I was feeling anxious about what I had to do and going in a lift was the least of my worries. There was however an incident later the same week where I had just finished a rather difficult class at university and was also feeling a bit irritated due to the fact I hadn't eaten much. At the end of the class my tutor announced she needed to have a word with me and asked me to accompany her upstairs to her office. I felt too anxious to go in the lift with her and asked to take the stairs instead. She didn't have a problem with it but I felt extremely embarrassed about it and to be honest I still do a bit.

[Cynna]

Elevators/lifts can usu be avoided if you do not have to go into a horribly tall building with a zillion floors. V is not as easy to avoid.

[mnd2013]

Thanks for your response. I have found that there have been times when I've been unexpectedly been made/expected to go in one to only travel one or two floors although normally the only time I really give it though is if I know I'm going into a tall building(which is not very often). For anyone interested, my last v* experience actually occurred in a second floor toilet. It was at the college I used to attend and on that particular day I came down with a stomach bug with the symptoms coming on suddenly mid way through the day . A first aider was sent into the toilet to check that I was okay and to take me downstairs to the medical room. He wanted to take me downstairs in the lift-presumably because he thought that I wasn't well enough to walk down so I had to explain that lifts made me anxious which I really didn't want to do but at least he was nice about it.