[kimical]

I hate closed in areas with no way out and elevators are the scariest things for me. I'd rather walk up 100 flights of stairs than take the elevator. Anyone else agree?

[polar_bear1]

Agree... didn´t used to be that way, but coz of anxiety I can no longer take the elevator. I did the other day, with my brother and I just panicked and was shaking the whole time. sucks big time...

i was going to start a thread on this myself you know....

well, because of my legs i have to use the elvator (i can't do stairs)

i'm okay about them- just as long as they arn't too crowded, and i'm nearest the door so i'm the first out.

but would liike some tips on how to handle crowded elevators... i know i can't always have it to myself

[kimical]

I understand of you have to use the elevator. I don't have any physical disabilities which is another reason I want to take the stairs, I don't want to take my body for granted. It makes me upset when people with no physical issues take the elevator leaving a handicapped person sitting there to wait >

Originally Posted by kimical

I understand of you have to use the elevator. I don't have any physical disabilities which is another reason I want to take the stairs, I don't want to take my body for granted. It makes me upset when people with no physical issues take the elevator leaving a handicapped person sitting there to wait >

oh yes..... me too.

i think that's just lazyness

their's people like me who have bad legs that take priority- i think if perfictly able people stopped using them, then they'd be less crowded

[ECHOES]

But there is a way out.

I used to get panicky at times, but after getting stuck in one between floors for an hour, with a group of folks who lightened the mood with jokes, and being rescued by the firemen who pushed open the doors and relieved us of the closed in feeling, they don't bother me too much. I have that good experience in my memory that relieves the panic.

Two funny stories about that.

When we decided the car was "really" stuck and not just paused temporarily, we asked the man closest to the panel of buttons (to push for the desired floor) to open the door to the emergency phone to alert someone that we were there. When he turned around to ask if anyone knew how to make the call, we noticed he was wearing a ball cap that was from an Elevator Convention ~ we laughed and said "Hey, YOU get us out!" (turned out the cap was a gift from his son )

When the firemen pushed the doors open, the elevator car was between floors so we were standing at about eye level with the floor. One gentleman was on the elevator to go to the Social Security office in the building and he'd left his wife in the car. When he didn't come out soon, she came looking for him. She happened to be on the floor we could see (which happened to be the wrong floor for the Soc Sec office). The gentleman looking out noticed a pair of legs he was familiar with and called out "I'm down here!". We laughed that he could recognize her without being able to see all of her. Long marriage, we presumed

So, it all worked out and we discovered that there is a door to the elevator car on the ceiling of the car and that the firemen can push open the doors, be as helpful as can be, and get us out.

There is a way out.

[LadyShadow]

I get that way too. I don't know, I never used to be afraid. But these past couple of years has been frightening for me when taking an elevator. I think the stairs is a good idea. At least I will be getting exercise!

[AngelWolf3]

I am completely terrified of elevators. I get hot and panicky and have to stand in the corner and close my eyes tight and try to breathe. It is the worst feeling. I didn't used to be like this. It started about 10 years ago, I don't know why! I like your stories, ECHOES. Thank you.

This last time I went on an elevator I had a full blown panic attack (it was an express elevator and we had to go to the 50th floor...)Augh. I won't go to that bldg for any reason now.

The time before that, I thought the elevator was going up, but it went down. Needless to say, that was very disconcerting and the people getting on at that floor probably think I was nuts as I ran past them to GET OUT.

LOL...stairs are good.

Originally Posted by ECHOES

But there is a way out.

I used to get panicky at times, but after getting stuck in one between floors for an hour, with a group of folks who lightened the mood with jokes, and being rescued by the firemen who pushed open the doors and relieved us of the closed in feeling, they don't bother me too much. I have that good experience in my memory that relieves the panic.

Two funny stories about that.

When we decided the car was "really" stuck and not just paused temporarily, we asked the man closest to the panel of buttons (to push for the desired floor) to open the door to the emergency phone to alert someone that we were there. When he turned around to ask if anyone knew how to make the call, we noticed he was wearing a ball cap that was from an Elevator Convention ~ we laughed and said "Hey, YOU get us out!" (turned out the cap was a gift from his son )

When the firemen pushed the doors open, the elevator car was between floors so we were standing at about eye level with the floor. One gentleman was on the elevator to go to the Social Security office in the building and he'd left his wife in the car. When he didn't come out soon, she came looking for him. She happened to be on the floor we could see (which happened to be the wrong floor for the Soc Sec office). The gentleman looking out noticed a pair of legs he was familiar with and called out "I'm down here!". We laughed that he could recognize her without being able to see all of her. Long marriage, we presumed

So, it all worked out and we discovered that there is a door to the elevator car on the ceiling of the car and that the firemen can push open the doors, be as helpful as can be, and get us out.

There is a way out.

thanks for sharing that with us...

make it a little lighter subject

[layla11]

Hi, I'm not really afraid of the elevator, I don't like being with the people in the elevator. Weird I know. I park way up on the 5th floor so I don't have to take the elevator.

[BlessedRhiannon]

I'm not afraid of elevators themselves - not afraid of getting stuck or not being able to get out. What bothers me, though, is the movement. I'm super sensitive to motion, and when elevators start and stop, it affects me quite a bit. I'm also not a fan of elevators with lots of people in them...but I'm that way with small rooms with lots of people, or even wide open spaces where people are crowded close to me. It's more a space thing with other people than anything else. I'm actually okay with elevators if I'm the only one in there, but still prefer stairs because of the motion.

[Maven]

I'm always worried when I have to take an elevator, and often won't choose to take one alone. I am terrified of getting stuck, even with other people there. I'm afraid I'd go into a full-blown panic attack, screaming for someone to get me out, and they might not be able to get me out for hours. When the doors of an elevator I'm on closes, I almost hold my breath and brace myself. When we reach the floor we're headed to, I focus on the doors very seriously, begging that they will open.

One other problem is height. I can't handle going on an elevator to a high floor. Four floors is hard for me. The local hospital has four floors, and the last time my mom was in the hospital, I got up there and got twisted around. Moving far from the elevators (even better if I'm near the stairs) makes me panicky, because that's the only way to get down. I feel like, I can't be this high up, I have to get down, and I start panicking. I might start yanking my jacket off, dropping my purse, looking for people to help me. My breathing becomes hyper. My mom likes to see me without my boyfriend, because we rarely have private time. My OCD makes me need help or to not be alone with her because I feel overwhelmed, so I always feel better if he's along. I have gone alone to the hospital to visit her when she was there, but I don't like to.