Well, about 10 years ago I just decided not to go in an elevator. Just blindly, this was when I was a young kid, (maybe 6 or 7 or and ever since I haven't gone in one. This isn't the kind of fear where I'll go in one if I have to, or I go in them sometimes or whatever, I just can't go in them AT ALL, and haven't gone in one for the past decade or so. I don't know what to do. So far I've been able to avoid them, but sooner or later I know that won't be possible.

I don't know why I developed this fear, because it just happened spontaneously, I remember it very well despite it being a long time ago. It seems so stupid now that I think about it...but I really have no idea at all why I won't go in them, I just won't. No matter if it's a 2 story shopping mall or a large building, I just can't bring myself to get in one, ever. I'll either take the stairs or not participate.

And you know what really bugs me? Like alot? It's when some buildings don't let you use the stairs, like there will be a sign that says "Use stairs only in emergency" and "Alarm will go off if you take these stairs" Why do things have to be this way? It makes things so complicated for me, and honestly I could take 50 flights of stairs and I wouldn't care, but the fact is some places just don't let you do it and it makes me mad as hell. This seems so irrational, and I figured the first step is to post here on this forum.

Any ideas?

Welcome to Ofear Chickengiblets!

So lets see...as a kid you suddenly got the fear out of nowhere and decided to stop taking the elevator?
Or did you just kinda decide to stop as a kind of "game" and developed the fear afterwards?

Have you ever tried taking the elevator since then? What'd happen to you if you did? Panic attacks?

I can't really be of much help, I'm sure other members will be more helpful
But I guess these questions will help us understand your fear a bit more.

It was instant. Like the previous day I could go in an elevator, and for some reason I decided not to go in it and take the stairs, and since then I haven't been able to bring myself to enter one.

Like the fear is so strong that I won't even bring myself to try, and honestly now that I think about it if I did have to go in one I'd probably have a heart attack/panic attack or something along those lines...but so far I haven't tried at all in ten years. It seems weird I know, one would think that a fear would be developed because of something, i.e. being stuck in an elevator or having an elevator drop down or fail or something, but it was literally like on the spot I decided not to use it. And that's when I was a young child...so long ago I can't remember the age...but I can tell you that before that incident I went in them no problem, heck I wouldn't even have given it a second thought...but now...I can't even imagine being in one.

Interesting...I don't have the fear of being in an elevator itself..but I am afraid of being in the elevator with other people So I'll use the stairs too.. but then again..I've also been known to run back down the stairs because I heard somebody coming down..

So yeah, for the most part...I wouldn't use an elevator either since there's always people in them..


I think that's the case for most phobias..They're irrational fears..

My girlfriend has a course to attend tomorrow and it's on the 10th floor and she is starting to panic. I'm trying to give her some words of wisdom at the moment.

I generally don't fear elevators but I hate the small school ones... we go in with 8 people, being smashed to the elevator walls with no option to get out if it gets stuck, nor a ventilation system to bring in fresh air...

We have elevators like that at work Bermudah but they only hold 4 people so you can imagine how small they are. I had a dream the other day that me and my boss was in the lift and it broke down and now he wont get in it with me lol!

Hmm I missed this topic first time round.... holidays and all that... oddly enough I was on the 17th floor when this thread started having wobbly legs on the balcony.

Is chicken giblets still around,... ? [great name]

So you have a fear of heights do you Ian?

I don't think Chickengiblets has been on again after the day she joined.