Meeting new people and elevators

[April1297]

Hello. If there is anyone who has experienced debilitating elevator phobia I would love to hear how you overcame it. I have a new long term work training coming up and have a massive fear of elevators. Some people don't take this type of fear seriously but to me it is very real. I take stairs everywhere I go and keep anxiety medication in my purse in case I need it. I will be meeting many new people at this training and that is stressful as well. I'd like to enjoy the training and feel less afraid.

[Exactice]

April, April, April, After returning from my deployment, I could not catch an elevator. It took me 3 years before I could start taking elevators again, While I am NOT trying to scare you, I am going to tell you why and what I did.

1) The reason it took me so long as I intentionally avoided them. This was a HUGE mistake, if I only knew then, what I do now, the recovery would have been so much faster.
2) Challenge Challenge Challenge. 1 floor at a time once a day if possible, By avoiding it you make the fear greater, by challenging it, you make the fear easier.


At my old building we had an elevator that was 3 floors, after I regained the courage, I took 1 floor a day everyday until the fear start to suppress. Then I challenged 2 floors. Within the month I was able to go all 3 floors.

Then I took the biggest challenge, I went downtown, looked for the largest elevator I could and rode it as far as I could, The first time I made it, 7 floors before I started to have a panic attack. But I made it 7 floors!!!!! I regained my self and walked down the stairs and went home. Rinse and repeat once a month, went down town and rode the next elevator. By the end of the year, my fear of elevators were pretty much gone and I have gone to 30+ floors!

Challenge Challenge Challenge!!!! You can do it, even if its 1 floor at a time!

[April1297]

Thank you for replying. That's a lot of effort so congrats to you. My problem is even standing in them. It's the few seconds when you reach a floor and the doors pause before they open. That's when I am the most nervous. I had a smallish bad experience on an elevator and have not been able to do them since. It's been about 4 years. I will more than likely have to stop taking stairs at every hotel etx., but this work related trip approaching has me very unnerved. Add that to the large amount of total strangers! But I will consider your advice to be patient. I will not give up hope. I'm just glad others understand.